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Description
Early Autumn, Year 749 of the New Age
Glenmore, in the Glenwood
Featuring Baby Lord Accalon and Lord Aquilon (NPC)

"Why're we here?"

Accalon looked mulishly up at his father, frowning discontentedly. He had been happily immersed in play with his friends and cousins, and as such hadn't been particularly pleased to have been pulled away from their game to go on a small trip with his father.

"Why are, Accalon. Contractions are a sign of low class." Lord Aquilon paused, brow furrowing, as he caught his son rolling his eyes exaggeratedly; he nearly chastised the colt, however decided to let it lie, knowing his son well enough to know the lesson would stick despite the theatrics. "And we are here to meet the Guard."

Accalon frowned, tilting his head slightly. "...Why? Aren't they... you know... commoners?" He said, nose wrinkling slightly as he spoke.

Lord Aquilon shot his son a hard look, pinning his ears as he straightened up in indignation. "Your mother and I did not raise you to be so crass, Accalon. Dignity is part and parcel of station, remember that." He said sharply, though he reined back his temper when he saw the colt cringe back slightly. Softening his tone, Lord Aquilon nonetheless pinned his son with a stern look.

"You would do well not to copy your friends, Accalon. They may be little Lords by name, but they are most of them ill-bred and rough. Titles are important, but not all who hold them wear them well."

Accalon nodded, chastised, before looking back over to the assembled guards with a more welcoming eye. "So... Why are we here, father?" He ventured to ask again, tilting his head slightly.

Lord Aquilon nodded in approval at his son's revised tone, before he too looked towards the guards. "We are here to meet an old acquaintance of mine. Lieutenant Estafel; we served together many years ago."

Accalon startled, and turned his wide hazel eyes back up to his father, looking surprised. "You were part of the Guard?" He asked in shock, before shrinking slightly as he remembered his loud-mouthed blunder earlier. No wonder his father got so angry...

Lord Aquilon inclined his head in wordless affirmation, looking down at his wide-eyed son. "It was, as I said, many years ago. I joined the Guard as my father before me did. And as you shall too, in years to come."

The colt frowned, though it was a more thoughtful expression than the displeased one he had worn earlier. Shaking his head, he looked back up at his father curiously, "Why... Father, if I may ask... Why is it so important to join the Guard? Especially when there are more than enough Dukes and Commoners out there to fill the ranks?"

The large seal bay stag seemed to think for a moment, trying to phrase his answer in a way that would make his son understand. Nodding in the direction of the guards who had moved aside to begin their drills, he began to explain. "You see those guards over there? What are they doing?"

Accalon smiled slightly, amused at the simple question, "Fighting, of course."

The older stag nodded sedately at the easy answer. "Indeed. And why do they fight, Accalon?"

Accalon's smiled remained on his face, though it had begun to slip a little as he realised the questions were trying to slow-walk him to an epiphany. "To protect us from Blackwood soldiers and Oakfern raiders..."

"Yes. True again." Lord Aquilon turned to face his son, looking down at him with a mild expression. "They are our sole line of defence against the darkness, Accalon. If they fall, Glenmore falls." The older roan paused, expression turning to one that hinted at sorrow. "Of those bucks and stags you see there, at least five will not survive the year."

The stag heard his son gasp, however he ignored it for the moment. "That is why it is important to stand by their side, if only for a while. You must understand their sacrifice in joining the Guard -- it is no light decision that they make, and we must respect this. There is no obligation on them to fight, yet they do so regardless, to protect us and our way of life."

Lord Aquilon glanced down to where his son had unthinkingly pressed himself to his legs, smiling grimly. "As a Lord of this realm, you must understand the consequences that can fall upon others with your actions. That is why, in our family, we honour their sacrifice by taking a brief moment from our lives to stand beside them."

Accalon stared out towards the assembled Guard, a look of undisguised wonder on his face, mixed with no small amount of trepidation. The colt paused, swallowed, then straightened up and peeled himself away from his father's chest, looking up with a carefully composed face.

"I think I would like to meet your friend now, father."

Lord Aquilon opened his mouth to correct his son, for he certainly wasn't friends with Estafel. However...

He thought back to long nights by the border, and lazy conversations over drawn-out patrols, and smiled slightly to himself.

"Come, son. He will be glad to meet you, I am sure."

Description
Early Autumn, Year 749 of the New Age
Glenmore, in the Glenwood
Featuring Baby Lord Accalon and Lord Aquilon (NPC)

"Why're we here?"

Accalon looked mulishly up at his father, frowning discontentedly. He had been happily immersed in play with his friends and cousins, and as such hadn't been particularly pleased to have been pulled away from their game to go on a small trip with his father.

"Why are, Accalon. Contractions are a sign of low class." Lord Aquilon paused, brow furrowing, as he caught his son rolling his eyes exaggeratedly; he nearly chastised the colt, however decided to let it lie, knowing his son well enough to know the lesson would stick despite the theatrics. "And we are here to meet the Guard."

Accalon frowned, tilting his head slightly. "...Why? Aren't they... you know... commoners?" He said, nose wrinkling slightly as he spoke.

Lord Aquilon shot his son a hard look, pinning his ears as he straightened up in indignation. "Your mother and I did not raise you to be so crass, Accalon. Dignity is part and parcel of station, remember that." He said sharply, though he reined back his temper when he saw the colt cringe back slightly. Softening his tone, Lord Aquilon nonetheless pinned his son with a stern look.

"You would do well not to copy your friends, Accalon. They may be little Lords by name, but they are most of them ill-bred and rough. Titles are important, but not all who hold them wear them well."

Accalon nodded, chastised, before looking back over to the assembled guards with a more welcoming eye. "So... Why are we here, father?" He ventured to ask again, tilting his head slightly.

Lord Aquilon nodded in approval at his son's revised tone, before he too looked towards the guards. "We are here to meet an old acquaintance of mine. Lieutenant Estafel; we served together many years ago."

Accalon startled, and turned his wide hazel eyes back up to his father, looking surprised. "You were part of the Guard?" He asked in shock, before shrinking slightly as he remembered his loud-mouthed blunder earlier. No wonder his father got so angry...

Lord Aquilon inclined his head in wordless affirmation, looking down at his wide-eyed son. "It was, as I said, many years ago. I joined the Guard as my father before me did. And as you shall too, in years to come."

The colt frowned, though it was a more thoughtful expression than the displeased one he had worn earlier. Shaking his head, he looked back up at his father curiously, "Why... Father, if I may ask... Why is it so important to join the Guard? Especially when there are more than enough Dukes and Commoners out there to fill the ranks?"

The large seal bay stag seemed to think for a moment, trying to phrase his answer in a way that would make his son understand. Nodding in the direction of the guards who had moved aside to begin their drills, he began to explain. "You see those guards over there? What are they doing?"

Accalon smiled slightly, amused at the simple question, "Fighting, of course."

The older stag nodded sedately at the easy answer. "Indeed. And why do they fight, Accalon?"

Accalon's smiled remained on his face, though it had begun to slip a little as he realised the questions were trying to slow-walk him to an epiphany. "To protect us from Blackwood soldiers and Oakfern raiders..."

"Yes. True again." Lord Aquilon turned to face his son, looking down at him with a mild expression. "They are our sole line of defence against the darkness, Accalon. If they fall, Glenmore falls." The older roan paused, expression turning to one that hinted at sorrow. "Of those bucks and stags you see there, at least five will not survive the year."

The stag heard his son gasp, however he ignored it for the moment. "That is why it is important to stand by their side, if only for a while. You must understand their sacrifice in joining the Guard -- it is no light decision that they make, and we must respect this. There is no obligation on them to fight, yet they do so regardless, to protect us and our way of life."

Lord Aquilon glanced down to where his son had unthinkingly pressed himself to his legs, smiling grimly. "As a Lord of this realm, you must understand the consequences that can fall upon others with your actions. That is why, in our family, we honour their sacrifice by taking a brief moment from our lives to stand beside them."

Accalon stared out towards the assembled Guard, a look of undisguised wonder on his face, mixed with no small amount of trepidation. The colt paused, swallowed, then straightened up and peeled himself away from his father's chest, looking up with a carefully composed face.

"I think I would like to meet your friend now, father."

Lord Aquilon opened his mouth to correct his son, for he certainly wasn't friends with Estafel. However...

He thought back to long nights by the border, and lazy conversations over drawn-out patrols, and smiled slightly to himself.

"Come, son. He will be glad to meet you, I am sure."