Elodi and the Wrong Son

Spring, Year 760 of the New Age
Glenmore, in the Glenwood
Featuring Elodi, Princess Landa (NPC) and Lord Saple (NPC), with mentions of other NPCs.



Whispers.

Whispers and furtive looks and whispers.

Elodi didn't understand it. Why didn't anyone look as happy as him? Wasn't this a happy occasion?

+

When the pained cries had finally come to an end, both Elodi and Lord Saple had immediately shot up, staring at the den; waiting for someone to come out, to tell them what was happening. Elodi had been surprised to see that the dark stag had looked less put-together than usual; it was nothing in his expression, THAT was as calm as always. However his strong body held a certain tension in it, one that suggested the dark Lord was doing the equivalent of preparing for a fight or flight.

But why? Was he really so nervous about being a dad?

Wanting to try and help his friend's mate, he smiled comfortingly, beaming up at the black stag with all the adoration in the world. "Don't worry, Lord Saple! You'll be an awesome dad, I can tell. I know these things." He said with an assured nod and a tentative nudge against the Lord's foreleg; however despite his words, Saple didn't relax. If anything, he seemed to get more tense - though he did briefly brush his muzzle across his pale companion's fuzzy forelock.

Whether he did so to comfort the colt or himself was entirely debatable.

Anything Elodi was about to do or say in response, however, was cut off as a doe came out of the den, her dainty forelegs a bit bloodied.

Elodi stared with wide eyes at her legs, though it seemed Lord Saple's attention was elsewhere for Landa's hoofmaiden froze as she caught sight of them, having caught the dark Lord's searching gaze. The hoofmaiden frowned, looking upset, and she gave a cursory shake of her head - a jerky movement the belied the emotion she kept bottled up within, carefully avoiding an unseemly display of emotion.

Elodi was unsure of what she was trying to convey with her gaze - was it something to do with Lani? - so he turned to Lord Saple, planning to ask him what was happening. The openly stricken look on the stag's face, however, chilled him and made his ears flick back in concern.

"L-Lord Saple, is... is Lani okay?" He asked tentatively, not sure he wanted to hear the answer. The pained sounds from within the den had halted, but what if that wasn't a good sign? What if... what if...?

Elodi was drawn out of his panicked thoughts as Lord Saple started moving forward to the den, his expression still oddly haunted. Elodi didn't understand what was happening... Why was he being ignored... Where was Lani? Was the baby okay? Elodi hurried to catch up to Lord Saple, not wanting to be left behind - wanting to see for himself that Lani was still okay.

Was alive.

Catching up to the large stag, Elodi resisted the urge to barrage him with questions, feeling some tension in the air that curbed his tongue. Something was off, something was wrong, but for the life of him Elodi couldn't figure out what it was. What was the secret that everyone but him seemed privy to?

As the duo approached the den, a stream of does came trickling out slowly, all  dirtied in some manner, all shooting Lord Saple the same half confused, half worried look. By now, Lord Saple had gotten his face under control; his emotions carefully concealed under a calm, politely disinterested expression.

Elodi wasn't sure how he felt about the fact the Lani's mate was so obviously hiding something important, however all thoughts about weird looks, weird whispers and weird betrotheds was lost as he caught sight of the princess alone within her den, still laying down, her dainty figure shaking imperceptibly every now and again.

Elodi backed up into Lord Saple, not sure if it was okay to approach the princess or not now, however a moment later a small dark shape caught his eye and his mouth formed an 'o' of surprise before he perked up immediately.

"Baby! Lani, you did it!" He cried out happily, immediately rushing from the stag behind him to go over to the doe before him. The mess around her completely escaped him as he stared down excitedly at the new fawn - a curled up splotch of dark against the princess's side. With a bright grin, he nuzzled excitedly at the tufty soft black hairs of the newborn fawn's forehead, squealing excitedly as the baby yawned and shifted sleepily.

Caught up in excitement as he was Elodi failed to noticed the way Lord Saple stepped up hesitantly behind him, stared down at the newborn fawn then looked over to the princess with a soft, anguished, "Oh Landa..."

Elodi didn't notice. He was already enamoured with the dark fawn, even though it hadn't even opened it's eyes yet, even though he didn't even know the gender yet. But this was Lani's baby, and Lord Saple's baby, and from that alone he knew he would love it.

"Lani, he's so handsome! He looks just like Lord Saple, all dark and awesome." Elodi said excitedly, his tail lashing with excitement as he leaned in to nudge the baby. He paused, however, as he noticed something upon getting closer. "Oh. He has a weird pattern. Not a bad weird, a different weird. Like... he's all dark with light bits. Lord Saple, is that something your family has?" He asked excitedly, looking up at the dark stag with bright eyes and a wide grin.

However Lord Saple was over by Landa's head, his head low as he talked to her in a low voice. Elodi frowned as the Princess let out a loud sob, her face tucking down into her chest as she shook with a deep upset. "Hey! Why're you making her cry?" He asked - demanded -  indignantly, stepping between Lord Saple and Landa. He might have had a crush the size of the Glenwood on the dark stag, but nobody was making Lani cry on his watch. "You say sorry." He said furiously, backing up so that he bumped into the princess's familiar soft chest.

He expected Lord Saple to look angry or even surprised, however what he didn't expect was the look of sheer devastation that passed through the older male's dark eyes, followed by the stag's knees buckling as he laid down heavily infront of them both.

Elodi knew he was missing something, some crucial piece of the puzzle.

"Why... why are you guys so upset? Why's everyone looking weird and scared? What's... what's wrong? Lani's okay and the baby's okay and what's there to be sad about?" He asked, looking between the two adults he respected and cared so much for.

When no answer was forthcoming, Elo let out an irritated huff - one mostly born from frustration and a growing fear - before he turned to the Princess. He knew her best, so he'd likely get more out of her than her silent betrothed. Crawling into his usual place on her forelegs, pressed up against her soft, doe-scented chest, he laid his ears back nervously. "Lani? Lani, stop... stop crying. It'll be okay, we'll make it okay. Me an' Lord Saple an' even my friends will help, I know it." He said softly, trying to calm her.

For a moment he thought she hadn't heard him, as she continued crying silently to herself; then a moment later he let out a soft yelp as Landa pulled him in to her, hugging him almost painfully tight as she cried into his side.

Elodi was scared, and confused, and was wondering why Lord Saple was just lying there. 'Do something,' He thought, staring at the dark stag beseechingly. 'You're Lord Saple. You're cool and you know everything and you can do anything. So DO something. Make it... make it better!' He thought desperately, trying to make the Lord understand him through eye contact alone. When Lord Saple continued to lay there, staring blankly at Landa, Elodi turned back to the princess herself.

Nudging her scarred cheek gently, he tried to smile - hoping his show of cheer would draw a matching smile out of her as it usually did. "Don't cry Lani, it'll be okay." He said, nuzzling into her silky mane.

The princess let out a sobbed laugh - one that spoke more of despair and lost hope than the usual happiness her laughs conveyed.
"Oh Elodi. Nothing will ever be okay again." She whispered, her teary blue eyes falling to gaze upon her illegitimate fawn.