Insincere Congratulations

Hrothgar

The summer was a magnificent time of year, especially in the lush forest of the earthen kingdom. Here life was buzzing even when the season was starting to come to a close; the forests were greener than ever and while the amount of flowers had gone down they still flowered all over the place, to an extend helped by the new 3 year olds who ran around happily growing whatever they could whenever and wherever they wanted. It was a delightful sight to those who had fawns close to their heart. Amongst those who did so was a certain lord known well for his weight, but also for calm heart, level-minded head and ability to speak. Lord Hrothgar did, despite not having many fawns, greatly enjoy seeing the years’ (royal) crop running around happily, doing whatever was appropriate for their age. Once in a while he even joined it himself, if even for mere moments by growing a little filly a flower or by letting a colt ram him without saying no. Oh the joy of young life; so careless and free.

Hrothgar wasn’t playing with fawns today though, no he was keeping a more sophisticated company. Sort of at least, as you could discuss how sophisticated this lady really was. She was probably the most simpleminded of his friends, but he also loved her for that; she had such a simple view on the world, so for him it was almost therapy to just listen to her gossiping blabber that was little more than fawns talk really. She went on and on about this and that, from someone wearing the wrong flower to how delighted she was that a friend of hers was going to get a fawn this rut. Half of it he didn’t care about and the other half he didn’t listen to, but he nodded and smiled to her none the less, letting her be the center of his lacking attention for the day. Some would call him stupid for it, but it was far from stupid; no it was a delicate game of waiting for the doe to say the things she overheard, for once in a while she heard what others did not wish he knew.

As always he had taken her out for a stroll. He liked to walk a lot, which made it slightly weird that he was overweight, but alas that was how the world worked. As she spoke of something, that he knew she found to be very funny, he gave a hearty laugh.


Lunemyr

Things had changed one more for the pale stag.. and changed drastically. Once he was just a regular Guardsman, trying to fit in with the crowd and find his place, always fighting to prove his worth due to his pale coat. It was complicated and frustrating work. Many frowned upon him, doubting his skill and often refusing to heed his advice. They usually, regretted it as well. But, they couldn’t deny his worth now. He’d gone up in rank, going from your average Guardsman to an Officer. Many had to obey his orders now- they didn’t have much of a choice. He still got many dirty looks and disapproving grumbles, but the majority of it had quietened down. The backlash wasn’t as intense as it had been before. Lune was still learning to be a proper Officer, but he was certainly settling into the title very gracefully, learning from the others. They spoke and he listened. It would take some time to get adjusted to his new authority and new duties, but he wasn’t very concerned about it.. He was extremely happy. All of his hard work had paid off. It wasn’t really that he was hungry for authority over others- it was just that he had succeeded in getting himself this far. The skinny little pale-coat had defied the odds… and he would only continue to do so, if it was at all his choice.

He was checking out the Royal Glades today, doing a quick sweep to make sure that all was as it should be. He honestly didn’t expect to find anything out of place. He was quite relaxed though he, of course, didn’t let his guard down. He never did, unless he was off duty.. Which was quite rare. Call him a workaholic if you wish. It wasn’t rut just yet, so stags weren’t fighting for does. So there’d be no bloodshed there. In more ways than one Lunemyr dreaded the coming of rut.. It was always a busy time for the Guardsmen, keeping the meathead, hormone-filled stags from bashing their brains out or drawing too much blood. So, for now, Lune was just enjoying the peace and quiet. As he moved along he unconsciously left a few flowers growing behind him with contentment.


Hrothgar

As they continued their walk, the lord toned out more and more of what the doe said. He continued his delicate gaming of seeming interested, but not really being it, regardless of it though; if he seemed bored once, then the doe would not stroll with him again with the same ease and building up a relationship where any and all could be said, from her side, was not as easy as some lords thought.
However when an opportunity to leave her company sprung up he wasn’t slow to take it and gave a courteous farewell and a little gift in the form of a flower, excusing himself that he simply had to say hello to his brother, whom he did not see often due to his line of work. That was much to his dismay of course. The lady took the excuse with a smile, but also a kind, if not slightly dumb, request for them to stroll another time.

Hrothgar didn’t know if his half brother had seen him, when he had spotted the pale stag, but he walked towards him none the less, saying nothing of his coming. His half brother had done great things recently, at least as great as you could expect from a pale thing like him, and he guessed a congratulation was actually in order. One that wasn’t just mock and make-believe even! He had congratulated Lune on getting into the guard back when that had happened, but there had been no love back then. This wouldn’t be love either really; it would more be in the department of ‘congratulation, you’re not a complete waste of our father’s blood’.

Reaching his brother, he simply greeted him with the same to-the-outside-genuine-smile as he did any other time where they weren’t alone: “Hello Lunemyr, or should I say Officer Lunemyr?”


Lunemyr

Movement caught the pale stag's attention and his head turned, tufted ears perking forwards as his blue eyes drunk in the sight before him. It seemed that his dear, darling brother was out and about , enjoying the lovely day. Lune didn't expect the dark stag to turn towards him so instead he just dipped his head slightly, but the two stags didn't make eye contact so Lune was unsure as to whether Lord Hrothgar had seen the notion or not. In any case Officer Lunemyr chose to just keep moving. His lordly brother had never shown interest in before so he doubted that he would now. He would likely be ignored, but he didn't really care.

However, he was completely and utterly surprised when Lord Hrothgar suddenly trailed after him, calling out in greeting. More out of shock than respect of anything else Lune came to a complete halt, slender neck turning about as he watched his dark, burly brother approach. "Greetings, Lord Hrothgar." The formal greeting slipped between his lips with ease and he dipped his head towards the Royal stag. His tufted ears flicked forwards slightly at his brother's words, a small smile slipping upon his lips with pride. "Yes I suppose that would be more suiting." He let out a little chuckle.


Hrothgar

As his half brother chuckled, Hrothgar gave a falsely humoured huff, but as always it sounded genuine. To be fair he would never call Lunemyr more than Lunemyr unless in public; the paleling wasn’t even a real duke in his eyes, despite their sire having claimed him. “I am sure our dear old sire would have been proud of you. ‘Officer Lunemyr’ has a slight tone of worth to it.” Thereby implied that ‘Guardsman Lunemyr’ hadn’t been remotely close to that; being a guardsman did not heighten your worth when you were of royal descent, even if as poorly as Lune was.

“Enough about that though-” He cut in before his brother had a chance to reply to his former comment ”-are you faring well, besides having been promoted?” His health and general well-being did not matter much to Hrothgar, but if Lunemyr was faring badly, then he would have to do something. As much as he loathed Lunemyr, they were still linked and if one brother suffered it could hurt the other’s reputation. Hrothgar didn’t need that, not now that he had to take care of Alette’s wellbeing; heck, how wouldn’t that seem to the herd, if he had a princess and his half brother went around and suffered? It would be a damn disgrace and he wasn’t going to let such a thing be as long as he lived! Image mattered, even when it came to something that had always been broken. At least his brother was doing somewhat decently at trying to fix it up himself.


Lunemyr

The pale stag resisted the urge to wince slightly. Ugh, there was always a hidden message of venom in his brother’s words. Nothing seemed to be completely straight forwards with him, there was always a hidden meaning to his words. It was irritating to say the least, but Lune was intelligent enough not to tell his brother how irritating it truly was. In all honesty, he’d given up on gaining Hrothgar’s acceptance long ago. If the burly stag accepted him now then great, but if he didn’t he wouldn’t go home sniffling and sad over it either. When he was younger, especially as a fawn, he had craved the stag’s attention like he craved sweet grass. But now, frankly, he didn’t really care any more.

“I certainly hope that he would be. It’s a true shame that he can’t be here now.” he smiled at the other stag. The smile reached his blue eyes, as most of his smiles always did. But, it did not reach his heart. His tufted ears perked forwards at the dark Lord’s words. Why was he asking of his welfare? Surely the stag didn’t really give a fox’s rump about him. There had to be something in it for him. Lune dipped his head slightly. “All is well. I’m happy and healthy. What about yourself? Are you and Princess Alette faring well? Congratulations once more on your betrothal, by the way.”


Lord Hrothgar

“It truly is.” Those words were honest. Hrothgar had never been a favourite in their sire’s eyes, as far as he knew he had been only little better than Lunemyr in the beginning, but at least he had made up for it. He had never grown to the stags height nor matched him in everything else, but he had managed to become a respectable stag by his prime; when their sire died, Hrothgar actually believed that he had managed to gain his respect. He did not blame the lord though; no he knew he had been far from the perfect son and heir.

Learning that he was good ended all concern that the husky lord could have had for his brother. No reason to dwell or ask more; if he said he was fine then he was fine. Hrothgar did not care enough to pry, even if Lunemyr had made signs of keeping ill health secret.
“That is good to hear and we are faring fine. My dear Alette is as happy as ever and because of that I am content.” It was true, but even if they weren’t he would not have told Lunemyr. It was none of his business if things weren’t good. Why wouldn’t they be though? In many ways it seemed as if Oganach had always meant for them to be together.

“Now, I should not keep you from your important duties any longer, brother, an Officer has much to do I imagine.” Translated that just meant that Hrothgar did not wish to waste more of his time on his pale brother; he had already wasted more than enough.