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Description

Late Winter/Early Spring, Year 772 of the New Age

Glenmore, in the Royal Glades

Featuring Lord Callion , with mentions of Princess Octavia

"EN GARDE!"

Callion chuckled at the words his guard shouted, the smaller stag pawing theatrically at the ground before charging in a slow, demonstrative lope. Stilling his face with difficulty, the brown Lord threw his head up and around, flinging his antlers majestically so that they caught the weak winter afternoon sunlight and glinted feebly. Dramatic start secured, he too began to charge theatrically towards his guard, growling for show before he turned his head slightly to the side and winked cheekily at the watching ladies.

"Get him, daddy!" Calia screamed, before giggling as Guardsman Soban, her father's personal guard and her frequent playmate, gave her a wounded look, gasping dramatically. "My challenger has won my Lady's favour away from me!" he cried, closing his eyes in mock anguish. Unable to help himself, Callion broke into surprised laughter as he fell upon Soban, the two stags coming together in an oddly gentle, almost balletic clash.

It had been a few days since Wist's little scare, and though Callion had fretted endlessly in the days following, it did seem that his sister had done a thorough job in cleansing her body of any ills. Nonetheless, the episode had left the young filly weakened and incapable of standing for too long, which in turn translated to a need for more sedentary, gentle activities of leisure.

Such as watching a joust between her father and her father's guard.

The two stags played up their roles as much as possible, removing all the pain and fear of true fights to leave only the dramatic posturing and bare bones of contact fighting. The nips Soban laid upon his master were barely more than the faintest rasps of ivory, while Callion in turn feinted and parried with ease, allowing his body to graze lightly past the guard's in what looked dangerous but was really more of a coordinated dance.

"My one Lady has forsaken me, but perhaps I have another yet waiting to have her heart won?" Soban shouted, looking with cow eyes over towards the reclining Wist. The little filly giggled and turned faintly pink, but she simply smiled slightly bashfully and shook her head apologetically, leaving Soban to cry out with all the airs of a wounded animal. "My heart! My heart!" he wailed, falling down upon the ground with huge fanfare. "Howsoever shall I fix these wounds I have suffered today? Both at the hooves of this great dark challenger... and my two erstwhile lady loves!"

The guardsman's dramatic monologue was cut off as he was quickly set upon by two squealing young fillies, both pressing kisses to his face and cheeks in an attempt to soothe his pantomimed despair. Callion watched with an indulgent smile on his face as Soban's cries changed to ones of faux-horror ('Argh! The love, it is too much, I have grossly miscalculated! Help! Help!') and the fillies began to press in with fresh mischievous intensity, now tickling the guard mercilessly.

It was perhaps somewhat unseemly, to allow such a bond to grow between his guard and his daughters, but Callion didn't much care so long as it remained wholesome and within the privacy of his home, with everyone resuming their duties when required. From the look on Guardsman Fitril's face, it seemed he did not quite agree, but he would never speak out against his Lord, and so the two stood watching in peace.

However, Callion's sharp eyes did catch the moment Wist's smiles became a bit more strained, and her laughs a bit more weary. Swooping in, he gently plucked her up and deposited her at Soban's side, carefully out of the way of her sister's flailing hooves."My worthy challenger, I rescue you of this cheeky chit... though the other, I fear, you must battle alone," he intoned gravely, smiling as Calia set upon the guard with renewed vigor and a wicked cackle.

Looking to Wist, he found the filly giving him a silent but meaningful look filled with gratefulness at the subtle way he had given her an out to rest. Callion winked at his daughter before gently ruffling her mane, looking up as he heard a throat being cleared.

"My Lord," Fitril's voice cut in with some urgency, and Callion's brow furrowed as he saw an unfamiliar buck standing next to the dark guard. "There is a messenger for you."

"What is it, young buck?" Callion asked, getting to his feet. Behind him, Calia's giggles continued unabated, though Soban had sobered, gently pushing the young filly away and getting to his feet too, the picture of decorum bar the giggling filly still trying to headbutt his legs.

"Soban, take the girls to find their luncheon."

The guard bowed his head quickly, rousing the fillies and leading them off towards the little garden where food was maintained by both Callion and a hired gardener that came once a week. Callion focus didn't linger on them, however. Instead he looked to the messenger expectantly, ears pricked as he waited for the news.

The messenger bowed deeply before straightening and beginning to talk. "My Lord. The King sends his regards and wishes to inform you of your upcoming nuptials to Princess Octavia, daughter of Lord Athelas, son of Lord Atya,"the messenger stated imperiously, with a not-insignificant air of ceremony. "Congratulations."

Callion's eyes widened, and a smile grew on his face. "Truly? That is good news indeed. Yes, great news," he said, enthusiasm clear in his voice. "Please deliver my thanks to the King. Oh, and," he added, as the messenger bowed and began to leave, "Do stop by Ather's Hollow to inform my father, the Lord Accalon. Joyous indeed will he find this news!"

The messenger nodded in assent before turning and running out of the glade, leaving Callion with Fitril. Turning, Callion met the guard's eyes with a smile, finding a small one mirrored on the surly guard's face. "Congratulations, my Lord," Fitril said, bowing his head. "Truly, it is long overdue."

"My thanks, Fitril. I had thought this day might never come. But these are glad tidings indeed. I must tell Wysteria, and the girls! They shall surely be excited."

"Indeed, my Lord."

Callion smiled and led the way over to the garden, feeling a spring in his step.

And underfoot. Spring, it seemed, had come to them at last.

+

BG by the lovely SweetLittleVampire <3

Description

Late Winter/Early Spring, Year 772 of the New Age

Glenmore, in the Royal Glades

Featuring Lord Callion , with mentions of Princess Octavia

"EN GARDE!"

Callion chuckled at the words his guard shouted, the smaller stag pawing theatrically at the ground before charging in a slow, demonstrative lope. Stilling his face with difficulty, the brown Lord threw his head up and around, flinging his antlers majestically so that they caught the weak winter afternoon sunlight and glinted feebly. Dramatic start secured, he too began to charge theatrically towards his guard, growling for show before he turned his head slightly to the side and winked cheekily at the watching ladies.

"Get him, daddy!" Calia screamed, before giggling as Guardsman Soban, her father's personal guard and her frequent playmate, gave her a wounded look, gasping dramatically. "My challenger has won my Lady's favour away from me!" he cried, closing his eyes in mock anguish. Unable to help himself, Callion broke into surprised laughter as he fell upon Soban, the two stags coming together in an oddly gentle, almost balletic clash.

It had been a few days since Wist's little scare, and though Callion had fretted endlessly in the days following, it did seem that his sister had done a thorough job in cleansing her body of any ills. Nonetheless, the episode had left the young filly weakened and incapable of standing for too long, which in turn translated to a need for more sedentary, gentle activities of leisure.

Such as watching a joust between her father and her father's guard.

The two stags played up their roles as much as possible, removing all the pain and fear of true fights to leave only the dramatic posturing and bare bones of contact fighting. The nips Soban laid upon his master were barely more than the faintest rasps of ivory, while Callion in turn feinted and parried with ease, allowing his body to graze lightly past the guard's in what looked dangerous but was really more of a coordinated dance.

"My one Lady has forsaken me, but perhaps I have another yet waiting to have her heart won?" Soban shouted, looking with cow eyes over towards the reclining Wist. The little filly giggled and turned faintly pink, but she simply smiled slightly bashfully and shook her head apologetically, leaving Soban to cry out with all the airs of a wounded animal. "My heart! My heart!" he wailed, falling down upon the ground with huge fanfare. "Howsoever shall I fix these wounds I have suffered today? Both at the hooves of this great dark challenger... and my two erstwhile lady loves!"

The guardsman's dramatic monologue was cut off as he was quickly set upon by two squealing young fillies, both pressing kisses to his face and cheeks in an attempt to soothe his pantomimed despair. Callion watched with an indulgent smile on his face as Soban's cries changed to ones of faux-horror ('Argh! The love, it is too much, I have grossly miscalculated! Help! Help!') and the fillies began to press in with fresh mischievous intensity, now tickling the guard mercilessly.

It was perhaps somewhat unseemly, to allow such a bond to grow between his guard and his daughters, but Callion didn't much care so long as it remained wholesome and within the privacy of his home, with everyone resuming their duties when required. From the look on Guardsman Fitril's face, it seemed he did not quite agree, but he would never speak out against his Lord, and so the two stood watching in peace.

However, Callion's sharp eyes did catch the moment Wist's smiles became a bit more strained, and her laughs a bit more weary. Swooping in, he gently plucked her up and deposited her at Soban's side, carefully out of the way of her sister's flailing hooves."My worthy challenger, I rescue you of this cheeky chit... though the other, I fear, you must battle alone," he intoned gravely, smiling as Calia set upon the guard with renewed vigor and a wicked cackle.

Looking to Wist, he found the filly giving him a silent but meaningful look filled with gratefulness at the subtle way he had given her an out to rest. Callion winked at his daughter before gently ruffling her mane, looking up as he heard a throat being cleared.

"My Lord," Fitril's voice cut in with some urgency, and Callion's brow furrowed as he saw an unfamiliar buck standing next to the dark guard. "There is a messenger for you."

"What is it, young buck?" Callion asked, getting to his feet. Behind him, Calia's giggles continued unabated, though Soban had sobered, gently pushing the young filly away and getting to his feet too, the picture of decorum bar the giggling filly still trying to headbutt his legs.

"Soban, take the girls to find their luncheon."

The guard bowed his head quickly, rousing the fillies and leading them off towards the little garden where food was maintained by both Callion and a hired gardener that came once a week. Callion focus didn't linger on them, however. Instead he looked to the messenger expectantly, ears pricked as he waited for the news.

The messenger bowed deeply before straightening and beginning to talk. "My Lord. The King sends his regards and wishes to inform you of your upcoming nuptials to Princess Octavia, daughter of Lord Athelas, son of Lord Atya,"the messenger stated imperiously, with a not-insignificant air of ceremony. "Congratulations."

Callion's eyes widened, and a smile grew on his face. "Truly? That is good news indeed. Yes, great news," he said, enthusiasm clear in his voice. "Please deliver my thanks to the King. Oh, and," he added, as the messenger bowed and began to leave, "Do stop by Ather's Hollow to inform my father, the Lord Accalon. Joyous indeed will he find this news!"

The messenger nodded in assent before turning and running out of the glade, leaving Callion with Fitril. Turning, Callion met the guard's eyes with a smile, finding a small one mirrored on the surly guard's face. "Congratulations, my Lord," Fitril said, bowing his head. "Truly, it is long overdue."

"My thanks, Fitril. I had thought this day might never come. But these are glad tidings indeed. I must tell Wysteria, and the girls! They shall surely be excited."

"Indeed, my Lord."

Callion smiled and led the way over to the garden, feeling a spring in his step.

And underfoot. Spring, it seemed, had come to them at last.

+

BG by the lovely SweetLittleVampire <3