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CHAPTER 15

Mournful Duties

The sounds of a metal door opening down the hall roused Rishi away from the book he was engrossed in. The Royal Court was kind enough to provide the mouse some standard white linen clothing, a loose shirt and pants tide together with a leather belt. He sat outside the cell that he slept in underneath a sconce to give himself more light with which to read, as there was little else he could do at the moment. It was an interesting tale of two political factions at war for dominance over the region. The main character was a mouse who gets captured by the opposing side. As a prisoner of theirs, he meets a young otter who keeps him alive by convincing her leaders that he could be valuable to them as a prisoner. Though he starts out essentially hating her, after some time they fall in love and together they strive to find a peaceful way to bring about an end to their war.

As Rishi peered away from the story he'd become so enamored with, he saw Kish coming through the doorway. As he came into view, Rishi saw the scar on his face that reminded him of the very reason he was in this particular situation. After a week, there was no need for a bandage and in a few more weeks, the wound would fully heal and his face fur will cover the scar, leaving little evidence of the mouse's transgression. Still, at the moment, the wound was a sorrowful reminder of the events that occurred seven days ago and every time he laid eyes on it he felt overcome with guilt and shame.

As his lack of proper conduct previously led him to a crippled state, the mouse took no chances when in the presence of a member of the Royal Guard. He set his book down and grabbed a small, wooden cane that was loaned to him by the doctor that treated him. His left leg from the knee down to his footpaw was wrapped in bandages and a splint was in place to prevent him from bending his leg. Though his thigh and knee were not injured, any bend in his knee resulted in tensing of his calf muscle and the risk of reopening his stitched wounds. His face was patched as well with a large, square bandage covering the scars on his face, though there was less chance of re-injury to that area. Placing one paw on the stone floor and using his cane for balance, he slowly got to his feet, a small degree of pain running up his injured leg. He winced at the effort he had to endure just to stand up, but as the days moved on, the pain became more bearable.

He leaned on the cane to take some of the weight off of his left leg, standing as straight as possible as the tiger reached the bottom of the stairs. Rishi bowed his head in respect at the approaching feline and said with a quiet voice that echoed off the chamber walls, "Good day, Sir Kish."

Kish stepped forward, illuminated by torchlight that danced around him and fully dressed in the Royal Guard attire. He placed his paws on his hips and cocked an eyebrow at the rodent. "Good afternoon, Rishi. Why do insist on reading in here? You know you can go outside. There's a lot more light out there."

Rishi looked up. "I know... good Sir, and thank you... for the suggestion, but... Well, my leg still hurts and I did go for a short walk earlier this morning and I could barely manage those stairs. By the time I got back, my leg ached so much, I just felt more comfortable staying here and letting my leg fully recover."

Kish sighed. "Is that really the reason?"

Rishi's eyes grew wide for a moment as his mouth hung agape before he hung his head low solemnly. It seemed that his true feelings were quite obvious to the large tiger, though he hadn't really been too covert in his attempt to hide them. The truth was he didn't want to face the outside world. Every time he looked into someone else's eyes, he felt judged, embarrassed, ashamed, belittled, and he couldn't face that right now. He wasn't certain he'd be able to face it ever again and it frightened him to no end. He felt a small amount of comfort from the idea that his emotions were private and hidden, but as Kish pointed out that wasn't the case and what little comfort he had disappeared just like any hope he had of annulling his deal with Lord Allon.

Kish saw the forlorn expression on Rishi's face and responded with a look of pity for the poor rodent. "Well, if you'd rather stay down here, that's fine with us. But I'm here now to collect you."

Rishi looked back into Kish's eyes with mild shock and fear. "Collect me. For what?"

Kish let out a sigh. "Come on Rishi. You knew this day was coming. You've been given a week to heal and we know your leg is doing better. Besides, you don't need your leg to suck off his lordship. Just go in there, give him head, and you're done."

Rishi's ears swung back slightly as he furrowed his brow in confusion. "I'm done? What about you and the other guards?"

"Well, we prefer to wait until you're more on your feet. We wouldn't want something to happen to your injuries and keep you here any longer than necessary."

Despite his insecurities about returning to the world beyond the High Court, one thing he would admit to is the fact that he was already tired of these cells. They're dank, unkempt, the bed sheets haven't been changed in quite some time and smell of must and mildew, and the close air was causing extreme discomfort to his wounds. Another thing was the low level of illumination he received from the sconces on the walls. He missed the bright, narrow beams of daylight as they peaked in through his window to remind him it's morning. Down in the basement cells he had to wander upstairs and peak into the main hall to see if the Royal Court members were eating breakfast just to get a handle on whether or not it's time to get out of bed.

But as one train of thought leads through various detriments to staying in cells meant for criminals, another leads to the few benefits that come with it. One of the few things that had been a bright shining ray of hope to his otherwise downtrodden time here was the food. Rishi loved his wife unconditionally and had always looked forward to her cooking, but in the High Court he's been privileged to enjoy the best dining he's ever eaten in his life. Even though he's only offered the leftovers of what the Royal Court don't eat, scraps from royal cooks are still cuisine to a humble farmhand.

But for Rishi, the most prominent driving force behind his desire to leave the confines of his cell was the mere thought of sleeping underneath the cougar lord at night. Indeed, the poor mouse has been prone to nightmares of a large, golden-brown feline charging into his cell, tearing his limbs to shreds, and raping him hard and mercilessly. His nights had been relatively sleepless and although Rishi had only seen his lordship a few times since their last incident, his mind was plagued by the recent retributive actions of the cougar. Overall, he couldn't wait to leave, though there was one thing he feared more than the claws and phallus of Lord Allon.

"So, has his lordship already finished with the tributes," Rishi asked of Kish.

"Not yet. He said that he's waited long enough for you to heal and believes it's time you began honoring the agreement. He said he'll handle the tributes after. He doesn't want to be sitting there the whole time while thinking of you."

Rishi gulped and slowly and unsteadily nodded at the tiger. "Alright then. I'm ready."

Kish turned to guide the rodent up the stairs and out of the basement. "Well, before we get to that, you have a visitor."

Rishi stopped in his tracks as his eyes grew wide again. "Who?"

Kish was a couple steps up the stairs when he stopped and turned to look back at the mouse. "Who do you think?"

It was here and much faster than he anticipated. The thing he feared the most was right in front of him; he had to face his wife. His heart began to race and his body shook as he held his arms and tightened up into a ball, visibly daunted by the idea of meeting her. For him, it was more than just the fact that Sam had to listen to Allon inform her of what the cougar would be doing to her husband. It was more than the fact that he had to listen to Allon describe what would happen to her and their children if he disobeyed. It was more than the state he was in when she saw him last: bloody, broken, bound, and at the mercy of the large cougar. For him, what ate away at him more than anything was the fact that he was helpless to do anything about it, unable to keep her and their children safe. After everything he'd done and been through with her, it was out of his control and that made him feel smaller than anything the lord could do to him.

"I... I don't... I don't know if I can do this." His voice was shaky and broken.

"Do what?"

"I don't... I don't know if I can... face her."

Kish sighed and paused a moment. "Rishi, in a week's time, your leg will be well enough and you'll be on your way. We'll be sending you back home and you'll have to face her anyway. There's no point in putting this off."

The tiger's words rang true, but the mouse's fears weighed heavily. He wanted nothing more than to just disappear from the world and erase all his problems, but he couldn't bring himself to do that. He stood there a moment, still shaking, preparing himself as best he could to look his wife in the eyes, the woman that he couldn't protect, and speak to her as if he deserved to be called her husband. He took a deep breath and let it out long and slowly as he grabbed his cane and began limping forward toward the steps. Kish resumed his trek up the stairs as Rishi followed behind, albeit at a much slower pace.

Despite his crippled status, his road to recovery had been relatively expedient. His first three nights down in the basement had seen the mouse bedridden. The first day was the worst, having woken up still smelling of blood and dirt, naked with the image of Allon in hunter mode emblazoned into his vision. His leg and face pulsated with a fiery agony that kept the rodent in tears throughout the day. The previous night, the doctor that came to see him stitched up the claw marks on his face and leg, coating the wounds with a healing ointment, and then bandaged him up. The cloth around his leg was tied loosely enough to allow the wounds to heal while the bandage on his head was pressed firmly against his face. While he dealt with a resounding ache on his face, the pressure on his leg was causing the most discomfort, despite there being less actual pressure against it. He cried and yelped in pain and anguish, but there was nothing anyone could do except tell him to muscle through it. He slept little that night, but the following day the pain had died down a bit. He was better able to bear it and the doctor came by to redress his wounds, which assisted in easing the pain.

His bandages were changed regularly, at least twice a day, but that didn't stop the wound from emitting a rather putrid funk. Even though the doctor advised at least a week in bed, there was little ventilation and Rishi wasn't even getting a bath and the mouse, having been cooped up for two and a half days straight, couldn't stand the stench anymore. He needed some fresh air and laboriously made his way up the stairs and out the door. That was the first time the lord had seen Rishi since that night and one sniff of the mouse's fragrance demanded a long, soaking bath fpr the rodent. Ignoring his current feelings towards the cougar, the mouse was grateful and although the basement still stunk of musk and decay, at least his own fur smelled of pleasant flowers.

He didn't get out much for the next few days with the pain his wounds caused him and the stress brought on by being seen by other citizens of Darreen. He spent most of his time in the cells reading, but he did get out at least once a day. For exercise, he would walk in circles around the basement a few times before resting. His wounds no longer smelled rotten and showed signs of effective healing. The last time the doctor saw him, he informed the rodent, as well as the Royal Court, that he'd be well enough towards recovery that he wouldn't have to see him after another week. Overall good news, but Rishi found little comfort in it as he found much trepidation from both staying and leaving.

As he climbed the stairs, he found it easiest to hold himself steady on his cane as he lifted his right leg up and balanced himself that way as he lifted his left leg up onto the first step. He did this the entire way up the stairs, slowly ascending to the ground level of the High Court. His heart pounded in his chest, beating faster and faster with every step he took bringing him closer to the main hall. And as he passed the archway of the basement door, the natural light of the sun radiating to the interior of the hall burned the mouse's eyes, forcing him to squint as they acclimated to the brighter illumination. As his eyes adjusted, he turned towards the entrance, saw her and froze.

She was wearing a white blouse and a gray skirt. Once she saw her husband appear from the doorway, her lips quivered and her eyes teared up as she smiled in happiness at seeing the man she loved standing before her. Standing just beside her was Priesto, who gave a slight, almost unnoticeable smile of happiness to see Rishi. Seeing her now exacerbated Rishi's feelings of dread at meeting his wife and as much as he wanted to run over to her and hold her in his arms, his body wouldn't obey. He lowered his head in shame and stood like a statue, unable to move, to advance or retreat. Upon seeing this, Samantha walked forward, her back stiff as she strode. When she reached Rishi she stopped and looked at him, trying to meet his eyes, but they were glued to the ground. She wanted to say something, but the words were choked down by feelings of relief that the white mouse was alive and walking.

Rather than speaking, she moved next to him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace, sobbing quietly as she placed her tear-soaked face against his chest. Rishi was taken aback by this, expecting her to be disappointed in him for not fighting back, but upon seeing her react to him with such acute alleviation lifted the mouse's spirits again. His body wasn't prepared to react, so he just let his eyes water up with tears of joy that his wife loved him so and wrapped his arms around her to return the embrace. When he heard her hiss in pain, he withdrew his arms and backed away slowly. He looked at her with concern and worry.

"Sam... what's wrong?" he asked of her.

Though uncertain, Sam had figured they didn't actually tell Rishi yet what they had done to her. "Oh, don't worry about that, honey. I'm fine. We can talk about it when you come home." Rishi continued to stare at her, his concern growing. Sam smiled wide and began petting the side of Rishi's face, wiping away his tears as she did. "Sweety, remember all those times you told me not to worry about you? Well, now I'm telling you to return the favor. You've got a lot to worry about and I'm not one of them. I'm fine. The kids are fine, although they miss their daddy."

He chuckled lightly. "Good. I miss them too. I miss you too."

"I know, baby. And we'll be together soon, but..." she paused, obviously disgruntled by what's on her mind. "But... for now... I can't believe I'm saying this. For now, make him happy," she said as she turned to look towards Allon's bedchamber. "I- I just- I want-" She had trouble speaking, the words getting choked up as she began to break down. "Make him happy... for the kids." A few tears streamed down her face at what she just asked her husband to do. She just asked him to please the man that threatened to hand over their kids to the group that tortured and raped him and her, respectively.

Rishi didn't take the request any better. Hearing his loved one say the words, asking him to subjugate himself so willingly, rekindled his feelings of helplessness and despair. His slightly elevated spirits immediately dashed, he lowered his head and sulked in sorrow, his eyes beginning to tear up.

"I'm so sorry, Sam." Samantha looked up into Rishi's face, her glossy, tear-soaked eyes trying to meet with her husbands, but unable to. "I couldn't protect you. I couldn't save you or the kids. I can't do anything to help you. I'm just a helpless, useless, god-forsaken vermin. I am so, so sorry, Sam."

At that, Rishi began to cry, tears flowing down his cheeks as his lips quivered and he sobbed dejectedly. Sam saw the defeat in her husband, realizing the guilt he held for what has happened to them and their kids. She was in disbelief that the white mouse felt this way, unsure for a moment how to respond. After a few seconds of watching her spouse sob as a man whose lost all hope, she smiled and wiped his tears away before reaching under his chin and gently lifting it up so he could face her.

"Hey," she said softly. He slowly opened his eyes and strained to look his wife in the eyes without looking away with shame. "It is not your fault. What's happened to us could've happened to anyone else in the Plains and there wouldn't be anything they could do about it. We got dealt a bad hand from the beginning and things have just piled up since then. But that's not because of anything you did or didn't do. You've done everything a loving husband and father would do and I'm grateful beyond words for it." She reached down and took a paw in hers.

"And while I wish things had turned out better than they have, not a day goes by that I don't thank god that you're my husband. No matter what happens, we're still alive, our children are safe, and you're still my husband. As long as those facts remain, I can weather anything thrown at me. Even-"

She started, but stopped herself, looking off to the side as if deciding whether or not to say what's on her mind. "Even what?" Rishi asked after a couple seconds.

Sam chortled lightly and shook her head smiling. "Nothing. Like I said, we'll talk when you come home."

Rishi wanted to say something else, but before he got the chance Sam had leaned forward and planted her lips onto his. Surprised, it took a second before Rishi returned the loving kiss, closing his eyes and leaning into it. He unconsciously let the cane fall and brought his free paw up to meet Sam's, still holding his other paw, and they held each other's hands tight as they continued to kiss each other tenderly. Rishi's doubts began to fade away again, his feelings of hopelessness and despair being replaced with optimism and joy. This is what he needed, for his wife to show him true feelings of love and tender care to let him know that he wasn't alone in the world. Knowing this, he could walk into Allon's room and do anything the cougar asked and still feel hopeful for a happy future.

They broke the kiss after an extended period of time, huge smiles plastered on both their faces, hands embraced in a passionate display of affection. They leaned forward and rubbed their cheeks together, softly moaning with pleasure as the male mouse's spirits were lifted further. After a moment, they broke the embrace and Sam stepped back to look her husband in the eyes again, their mutual desolate feelings replaced with feelings of adoration. Sam took a second to enjoy their short time together before speaking up again.

"Um, I need to get back; the kids are gonna worry about me."

"Are you gonna be OK?" Rishi asked still smiling.

She chuckled. "How can you be worried about me?"

"Well, you're my wife and even though I don't deserve you, I want to make sure nothing happens to you."

"Alright, you can stop saying that. You absolutely deserve to have me. I'm lucky to have someone like you in my life. And don't worry about me. Priesto has been very kind in assisting me whenever I need help."

Rishi looked back over at the fellow rodent standing by the door. "Who'd have thought that we'd become such good friends with that rat?"

"Hm, I know, but he really has been a good friend." They took a few seconds to enjoy each other's company. "Alright, you be careful. And-" Sam's smile faded, still unhappy with the thoughts running through her head. "And do what you have to do. And remember: we'll be waiting for you to come home."

They smiled and shared another loving kiss before Sam turned around and slowly walked away. As she did, Rishi turned to the rat at the entrance. "Priesto!" he called out, getting his neighbor's attention. "Thank you for taking care of my wife."

The rat nodded in response as he helped Sam out the door and in a moment, they were out of Rishi's sight. Rishi stood there and basked in the moment, elated by the fact that his apprehension was for naught, that his wife still loved him dearly. It was a moment that his soul needed to give him strength and endure what was to come. Now, as he looked ahead to what he had to expect, what he looked forward to most was simply spending the night with his wife again, a prospect he never thought he'd miss so much after just a week's time.

He then heard the tiger behind him clear his throat. "Shall we get on with your tribute then?" Kish asked of him.

Rishi, relenting the fact that he had to push thoughts of his family aside in order to pleasure his lordship, nodded and hobbled as he turned around. He was greeted with Kish standing there holding his cane up for him, which he gladly accepted and immediately used to balance himself. The tiger also handed him a handkerchief to wipe away his tears. The mouse wiped down the wet stains on his fur, the short moment he just spent with his wife enough to subdue his feelings of grief.

"You ready?" Kish asked. Rishi nodded as he handed the handkerchief back to the tiger. "Alright, let's go," Kish said turning as he led the mouse towards Allon's bedroom.

Rishi was still slow in his stride, but it wasn't nearly as downtrodden as it was before. The scent of his wife, the touch of her lips upon his, still echoed in his mind and it gave him renewed vigor. But as he suffered through the pain as he climbed the steps and looked up at Lord Allon's bedroom doors, the images that have haunted him for the last several days returned and reignited his trepidatious emotions. His heart beat increased and his stomach was aflutter with butterflies. But if there was one constant in Rishi's life, it was that knowing his wife and kids were fine and safe and no matter what surprises were thrown at him, it always gave him strength of will to continue through his plight. He was easily able to brush his fears aside and march towards those doors and do his duty to protect his family.

Kish opened the door for Rishi and held it open for him. The mouse crossed the threshold into Allon's room as the tiger closed the door behind him. The cougar was sitting at his desk off to the side, reading through a stack of papers. He lifted his head to glance over at the mouse as he entered and smiled brightly.

"Well, hello there, Rishi! It's good to see you on your feet."

The sight of his overwhelming figure, the sound of his booming voice, the strong, musky scent he exuded invaded the mouse's mind and every emotion he felt that night rushed back into him and he began to shake with dread. He wanted to look away, but fearing the lord would see that as a sign of disrespect, he kept his composure and kept his eyes locked on the cougar's.

"Thank-" he cleared his throat. "Thank you, my lord. How are you this afternoon?" He was shaky in his voice and he truly didn't give a mouse's fart about how the feline was doing, but he fought his instincts and would treat the lord like the royalty that he is.

"I am doing well. Thank you for seeing me so early. I was told that you've healed up fairly well over the last few days, which means you should be good enough to start honoring our deal."

The cougar stood up, his massive frame making the mouse cower where he stood, but he didn't flinch and he didn't turn away. He was completely naked, absent any of his arm and leg bands and his royal sash sat on his desk next to his pile of papers. The lord walked over to Rishi and Rishi hesitated in backing away nervously, but he stayed put. The feline put one paw on the mouse's shoulder as the other one gave a gentle passing along the patch on his face.

"Mmm, I hope this heals properly. You have such a cute face. I'd hate for you to lose it."

_If you really cared about my appearance, you wouldn't have dug your fucking claws into my face!_he thought inwardly. "Thank you, my lord," he said outwardly. "I appreciate it."

The puma drew his attention away from Rishi's face to his leg as he knelt down and gently felt up the bandaged appendage. Rishi winced in anticipation of a rough manhandling, but the cougar was truly gentle and careful. "How's your leg doing? Does it still hurt?"

"A little, my lord, but I think I should be on my feet before long."

Allon let out a sigh. "What did I tell you, Rishi?" Rishi's heart pounded in his chest as the cougar locked eyes with him, unable to answer. "I told you not 'my lord.' You will refer to me as 'Lord Allon.' I want that level of familiarity to remain between us. OK?"

Rishi gulped a little, still terrified of doing the wrong thing. He nodded, "Yes, Lord Allon." The use of that title made him feel a little more at ease, though he still felt quite underfoot to the enormous lord.

Rishi inspected the splinted joint and bandaged calf a moment longer before retracting his paw and standing up and walking towards the bed. "Well, I guess I can't do anything about that. You shouldn't have run, Rishi. I really wish you'd just accepted your fate. This really could've been avoided."

The mouse couldn't help but fume at the idea that the cougar was blaming him for what happen, but he knew that given the status of the cougar lord over himself, he really did have no place to argue. Running was, in all honesty, a stupid idea, especially since it resulted in the injury of one of the few felines he actually has a little respect for. Allon glided over to his bed with his tail raised in the air, showing off his wrinkled, tight tailhole to Rishi, the strong feline scent wafting over to the mouse's nostrils, thick with sexual intent. The cougar climbed onto the mattress and rolled over onto his back, laying his arms under his head and looking back over to Rishi. The mouse gulped as Allon smiled back at him before patting a spot on the sheets next to him.

Rishi walked over to the bed and climbed up onto it, struggling a little to get his left leg up. He hunkered next to Allon on his paws and knee as he looked up and down the cougar's form. Despite his arousal being obvious from his musky scent, his royal penis was still stuffed away inside the royal sheath. Rishi thought for a moment and began to worry that he'd have to straddle the lord, unsure if he'd be able to oblige in his condition.

"So, what would like me to do, Lord Allon?" the mouse asked with uncertainty.

Allon raised an eyebrow. "Well, first of all, get in here and give your lord a proper kiss."

Rishi had almost forgotten how much the cougar was into foreplay, particularly when it came to making out. It was easy enough, though, and so the mouse climbed over to Allon's head and leaned forward, bringing his muzzle down and connecting lips with the puma without hesitation. Despite his reservations towards the lord and his desires, a year's worth of practice has made the rodent's duties practically second nature.

Allon reacted immediately, but not too rough, probably not wanting to risk moving to quickly and reopening the mouse's wounds. His rough, feline tongue pushed passed the murine lips and into the rodent's maw, sliding the slick, saliva-coated organ along the mouse's teeth, his gums, his tongue, and all around his mouth. It felt like forever since Rishi had the lord's tongue invade his muzzle, but that still felt like too short a time for the mouse. He nevertheless responded by locking lips with his lord and lashing his own tongue outward, licking along Allon's course organ. Allon began to purr, vibrating his and Rishi's joined muzzles and he got a bit rougher, jamming his tongue into the back of Rishi's mouth into his throat. The taste of meat and cat spit danced on Rishi's palate and he fought to keep from wincing, sucking up as much of the feline drool as he could. He was never able to keep it all in and this time was no exception as several beads of salivary liquid dribbled out of their muzzles and creeped down Allon's cheek. The cougar brought a paw up and began massaging Rishi's waste, running his big, padded paws through the rough, unkempt fur.

After several long minutes of salivary exchange, Allon gently pushed Rishi back, breaking their kiss and leaving a couple strands of spit to connect their muzzles. Allon licked his lips and smiled, still purring loudly. Rishi let the stringy drool hang from his lips as he panted a bit from the make-out session. After a moment of staring into each other's eyes, Allon looked down Rishi's form and sighed.

"Well, considering the shape you're in, I'd say it's probably a bad idea to breed you right now. I think I'd better wait before I take that sweet tail of yours." Rishi suddenly felt a weight lifted off his chest, knowing he wouldn't have to perform anything too strenuous for the lord tonight. It did, though, still mean that he would have to perform sexual duties for the lord by other methods; namely, using his mouth. "But I don't think you need your leg in order to work that glorious muzzle of yours."

Rishi felt the opposition in him rising at the thought of continuing what he'd been hoping for the last several weeks he'd never have to perform anymore. What Allon was asking was something that Rishi had managed to become much more accustomed to, but the anticipation of eliminating that part of his weekly routine coupled with the incident he suffered through had left him pretty much back to his train of thought when he first began this tribute. The thought of placing his face up against the cougar's genitals made the mouse feel physically ill and the feline's musk was fairly strong today. It would take some time for the mouse to acclimate to it again, but he knew he didn't have a choice and didn't want to risk offending the puma.

"No, Lord Allon. I think I'll be perfectly fine pleasing you as I am. Would you like me to undress?"

Allon looked down at the mouse's bandages. "Would it take you a little while to undress?"

"A little."

The cougar cupped the rodent's chin and stroked it, smiling. "Then don't worry about it. Just try not to get any of my spunk on your clothes."

Rishi nodded. "Is there anything you would like me to do in particular?"

"Hm, you know how I like it."

Rishi nodded again. All the little mouse wanted to do was pull out the cougar's cock, suck it off, choke down gags and retches as he brought him to climax as quickly as possible. But again, Rishi knew the cougar's preferences and that he was really into foreplay and the mouse needed to accommodate his lordship's wants. Allon placed both his arms behind his head as Rishi climbed into position. Allon spread his legs wide, giving Rishi better access to the goods dangling between his thighs. Rishi saw the massive testicles attached to the puma and climbed right between the lord's massive thighs, facing the royal jewels directly.

Rishi eyed the twin orbs, hesitating a moment as the smell just got more and more vivid the closer he brought his nose to them. His aversion to sniffing and tasting the smooth, spherical testes drove his instinctual tendencies, making him falter in his duties. But the image of his wife, her smile, her voice, the emotions she instills in him were still fresh in his mind and that drove his cognitive tendencies. Suppressing his inhibitions, he slowly leaned his face forward, inching closer and closer to Allon's crotch, sticking his tongue out, and began lapping away at the cougar lords scrotum.

Allon leaned back, moaning and purring in pleasure as Rishi began working his sensual ministrations on the cat. The smell was stronger now and the scent seemed to travel through the mouse's body, sending shivers of disgust throughout. The taste was no better and it was obvious to the rodent that the feline hadn't washed his balls in a few days. But with no recourse, he swallowed his pride, and the residual traces of feline scrotal waste, as he licked again, taking in another unpleasant mouthful of cougar stink. He licked again and again, starting at the underside of his testicles and moving upwards. The feline's balls jiggled around as he licked them, making it harder to get a good, long stroke along with his tongue. He reached up with a paw and held the furry sack steady as he traced through the fur, leaving a trail of moist rodent spit in his wake.

Allon's tail twitched underneath, moving around the air near his asshole, which shifted upwards towards Rishi who got a very good whiff of the cougar's backside. The air was stale, musky, and stronger than anything the mouse had whiffed before and he paused a moment to steady himself as he became lightheaded from the overpowering scent. Rishi knew he was dangerously close to the lord's anus, the point of every mammal that exuded the strongest scent and it was something that Rishi dreaded putting his tongue on. Fortunately, over the past year, none of the Royal Court members had every asked him to clean their tailholes, despite their own personal love for the act. As his tongue brushed the underside of the cougar's balls, the tart, salty taste grew stronger, no surprise, and his tongue inched closer towards the dreaded, wrinkley back door. If he went his entire life without ever having to taste his lordship's rosebud, he'd be able to find some form of happiness from this treatment.

He tried to take his mind away from Allon's musky ass and continued to focus on Allon's musky genitals, his tongue traipsing along the crevice between his thigh and crotch. The taste and smell were bad enough there, but he was used to that and after a few minutes of exposure, he'd found himself no longer physically ill. The act reminded him of the last year of performing for these felines and he used that to try to distract from the nightmarish images he'd conjured up of the lord. They still meandered in the back of his mind, but they were no longer at the forefront, easing up the difficulty of his task.

But as is often the case, wherever the poor mouse finds solace, something else arises to dampen his spirits; in this case literally. His tonguing of the lord's royal scrotum aroused his lordship and his cock appeared from its home. The long organ, trapped in its warm, soft sheath, brought with it the odorous funk that had built up while it was hidden in its enclosure. The smell wafted in all directions, stinging the mouse's nasal cavity and making him wrinkle his face in disgust. Despite the year of practice, the mouse never really enjoyed the smell and his mind was too distraught to find any comfort from it. He knew it would take some time to get used to it again, but he did get a few minutes to breathe in the lord's strong, musky junk in order to withstand its sickening effects before he had to put his mouth on it.

He ignored the exposed organ first by licking along the length of the cougar's sheath, garnering more purrs and moans from the satisfied lord. Rishi soon felt a large paw come down on the back of his head, holding his face against his groin and sending shivers down his spine. He brushed his nerves aside and continued to lap at the thin, fleshy covering for a couple minutes as he let the tangy smell of cougar penis wash over his olfactory receptors. After a time, the smell was not as abrasive, though not at all pleasing to the rodent. Feeling more comfortable with the smell, he moved up, placing his paws on Allon's thighs to hold himself up as his muzzle moved to the base of the slick, moist, and aromatic cock. Up close, the scent managed to burn a little, but it was too late to turn back and Rishi could do nothing but let his eyes water up from the burning sensation.

He pressed his muzzle forward and stuck out his tongue and pressed it against the fleshy member, running it upwards along the base a few inches before returning to his original position. The taste was potent, making his taste buds quiver and his stomach reel with disgust. He did his best to repress his derision towards the unhygienic flavor and continued to lick away, cleaning the lord's member of sweat and grime that had been building up over the last few days. His eyes watered up more, but he didn't wipe away the tears. He let them fall down his cheeks and lapped away, bringing a paw up and holding his thick dick to get at the unreachable parts underneath. Allon groaned in sexual bliss as the mouse continued to pleasure him, moving his tongue up the shaft closer and closer to his barbed head.

After a couple more minutes, the cougar spoke up. "That's enough of that. Come over here," he said patting his stomach.

With no other choice, he slowly crawled around the lord and moved on top of him, his face pointed directly at the large, erect cock, his butt pointing directly at the cougar's hungry muzzle, and his stomach and limp penis pressed up against the lord's chest with only the linen trousers separating them. Allon purred, and even gave a light growl of lust, as he patted the mouse's rump.

"Alright, continue."

Rishi sighed inwardly as he stared reluctantly at the cock before him, a small strand of pre-ejaculate hanging down from the lord's urethra and staining his stomach fur. Rishi gulped with revulsion, the disgusting sight slowly eating away at what little resolve he had left. He kept trying to think of his wife, her words, her smile, her scent, and the sound of her voice, but as the afternoon wore on and with every lick and sniff of the cougar's body it became less and less effective. His willpower was slowly fading and his hesitation was becoming harder and harder to fight.

"What are you waiting for, Rishi?"

The mouse was slightly startled by the lord's impatience. He didn't answer, but just shoved his reservations aside and moved in to continue his duties to the Royal Court. No matter what, the mouse found that fear of retribution by the lord of Darreen was a good enough motivator. He opened his maw, stuck out his tongue, and let the string of pre-cum paint a line down his tongue as his muzzle enveloped the cougar's barbed glans. The sour taste of the clear liquid stimulated his taste buds and he gagged at the flavor. As his mouth moved further down along the length of the feline penis, a small amount of pre leaked out, covering Rishi's tongue and giving him a stronger, more potent sample of the prostatic fluid.

Rishi tried as hard as he could to not flinch in disgust, but it was reflexive. He was facing away from the cougar and hoped he couldn't see his facial expressions, but he nevertheless felt nervous about the effect it might have. He felt it necessary to instill upon Allon his dedication to pleasing his lordship, so rather than grab his cock with both paws and begin stroking him as he wanted to do, he tried something more sensual. He reached forward with both paws, one of which cupped the crevice between Allon's leg and his taint with the thumb and forefinger encircling the puma's sheath and testicles. His other paw reached past his genitals, sliding down the taint, stimulating the cougar's sexual arousal. He reached the feline's tight rosebud and drew circles around the edge, drawing loud groans of pleasure from the man below him. Sufficiently convinced he was doing the right thing, he took as much of the lord's cock into his muzzle, squeezed his junk with one paw, and jammed three murine digits passed the anal ring.

Allon groaned and cried out in sexual ecstasy as the mouse tickled his most erogenous zones at once, making the feline shuffle beneath him. Rishi was feeling the fear of disappointment abate, but the guilt within him rose as his hopes for a future without lord Allon's cock in his muzzle had been incinerated. Pushing that aside, he suckled away at the phallic head, running his tongue around on the glans, tickling the barbs and making the cougar hiss with sensitivity. The mouse's fingers danced at the feline sphincter, opening it up wide, rubbing along the edges, stimulating the sensitive receptors in the wrinkly flesh.

Rishi felt a large paw pull the back end of his trousers down, revealing his own tight bud to the cool air of the chamber. The mouse felt nervousness rise in him, worried at what the cougar might do with him. He heard the sound of inhalation as the cougar sniffed away at the rodent's exposed sphincter, obviously enjoying the strong scent. Soon after, Rishi felt two, large, furry digits push past his anal ring and invade his rectum. It didn't hurt as Rishi had gotten sufficient practice in that area to make him loose enough to handle just about anything. However, as the cougar began moving his fingers around, he tickled the rodent's insides, stimulating his prostate, sending small jolts of unwanted pleasure through the mouse's nether region. Rishi felt his guilt ascending to new heights, embarrassed beyond words at the thought of getting any pleasure from this treatment. He felt the blood begin to rush to his penis, hardening under him. He needed to get the cougar off quickly so he sucked harder and put more effort into his fondling of the cougar's junk and asshole.

"Ooh, yes. Very good, mousy. Keep going."

Rishi tried to think of his wife to take his mind off the shameful pleasure his backside was receiving, but it wasn't working. So instead, he concentrated on the taste and growing musky scent of the lord to distract him and it seemed to work. His current disgust with the feline's body, the sight, the flavor, the odor, was enough to reduce the effect the cougar's fingering was having on his prostate and prevented him from getting anymore erect. All he had to do was continue his work on Allon's cock and ass and try to get him to orgasm as quickly as possible.

Not long after, the cougar was shuffling heavily underneath him, like a boat on the water during a tumultuous storm. He was growling with lust, groaning, grunting, and yelping sensually. He was close and Rishi could tell, so he hoped that after cumming once he'd be done for the day. As the lord's vocalizations grew in intensity, so too did his scent, the physical exertion making his exuded musk far more potent and stinging to the rodent's senses. After a short moment, the puma planted both his feet paws, arching his back and lifting his crotch into the air. Rishi felt the feline cock bob in his mouth before feeling a hot, tart, and sour jet of cougar ejaculate shoot into the back of the mouse's throat. He swallowed it quickly before the taste could overpower his taste buds. He got it down quickly, but he didn't escape the taste entirely, the tangy sensation filling in his mouth, much to the rodent's displeasure.

Allon removed his finger's from Rishi's butt as he basked in the orgasm, wave after wave of sperm-laden semen filling Rishi's throat and the mouse drunk it all down. As each spurt of cum coated his mouth, the taste built up more and more and Rishi winced in displeasure. Fortunately, Allon was too lost in sexual gratification to worry about what Rishi might think of the flavor of his seed. Several more shots and the cougar's balls were empty with only a few small squirts of cum to be coaxed out of his urethra.

Allon relaxed his body, lowering his back and pelvis as he breathed heavily from the climax. Rishi kept his muzzle encapsulated around the puma's cock and his paws in position around his sheath and asshole. He made no movements, though, wanting to see if Allon wanted the mouse to continue for round two or if his duties for the day were satisfactory. One or two long minutes later and the cougar lord lifted his head, smiling gleefully at the mouse butt in front of him and purring.

"That was wonderful, Rishi," he said happily. "It's been a while since I've gotten that kind of satisfaction from you orally like that. You really are dedicated to your duties."

Rishi felt a mix of emotions at the compliment. On the one hand, the lord was satisfied and that meant he was safe. On the other hand, knowing he was giving the cougar such a highly enjoyable sexual experience was just another crack of the whip to his honor as a husband and a father. Allon began petting the rodent's rump, running his paws through the fur as if he was petting Rishi's head. After a moment, the cougar gave it a light pat on the side.

"Alright, you're done. You did very well today."

Rishi gladly retracted his fingers from the feline's bowels and removed the cock from his muzzle. He slid off the lord, grabbing his cane and sliding off the bed, hopping a little as he pulled his left leg off. He adjusted his pants and bowed at the cougar before turning to leave.

"One moment, Rishi." Rishi stopped and turned to face the lord as he shifted to sit at the edge of the bed. He made a gesture towards the mouse. "Come here a second."

Rishi did as commanded and walked over to Allon. The cougar beckoned him closer to which the mouse obeyed, leaning in more. The puma then grabbed the mouse's chin and pulled his face forward into one last kiss, fairly light with a little tongue and exchange of saliva. After that, the cougar simply smiled. "Thank you."

Thank you? Rishi thought to himself, wondering why the lord would bother thanking him like that. It almost seemed to the mouse like the lord was further belittling him and it seemed to work as Rishi just seemed smaller than ever next to the huge man. He could do nothing about it, though, so he smiled a weak smile, bowed with respect, and turned to leave, this time receiving no instructions to stop. He opened the door and walked out with Kish, Amarro, Jarai, and Dubois getting ready for the upcoming tributes. They each glanced in his direction as he passed, Rishi giving each of them a respectful nod. While three of the four guards respectfully nodded back, giving him a rather indifferent glance, the cheetah in the corner watched the mouse walk away with the most pitiable eyes he could manage and the most sympathetic expression he could hold.

Once Rishi reached the door to the basement cells, he dropped his guard and let the guilt he was feeling come to the surface. How the hell could I do that? How could I get pleasure from that? I was getting hard. What the hell is wrong with me? The mouse was plagued by the effects the whole experienced had on him and was depressed by the fact that having his spirits lifted by seeing his wife lasted only a short time before his soul sunk back into the well of despair. He shut the door behind him before he began his arduous task of descending the stairwell. He heard the faint and muffled noise of the door to the outside opening up as the first of the Darreen natives was allowed in to make his offering. Rishi tried not to think of what meager material possessions those people had to give up for their safety and freedom because it only depressed him more.

He made his way back to his sitting position down under the sconce where he left his book. He picked it up and began to read, running over the same paragraph several times before a tear drop soaked into the pages. Giving up on fighting his depression, Rishi slammed the book shut, dropped it on the floor, and stood up. He moved as quickly as he could into his cell, dropped his cane, flung himself onto the bed, curled up into a ball, and cried like a man who just lost everything in the world.

******

The following week went almost identically in terms of sexual duties to the lord - oral gratification with some fingering, some teasing, and a long, drawn-out make-out session. His emotions didn't improve much, though they didn't get any worse. His depression lingered, as did his guilt, but he didn't see his wife for the next seven days. That turned out to be a blessing, though, as Rishi didn't need anything to lift his spirits because he knew that they'd just be shot down again. So the mouse endured his duties, taking in the lord's taste and musk, which actually improved once the cougar washed up, and he continued to read and simply meander in the basement.

By the final day of his recuperation, his comfort levels went through the floor. The doctor came to see him and removed his bandages and the splint, though he allowed Rishi to keep the cane for as long as he needed it. After the day's tributes, Rishi was called to Allon's room one last time to service him before he was officially discharged from their care. He was lucky enough to still not be asked to ride the cougar, but he was told that he would have to go back to offering himself to the other guards. This prospect sent Rishi into a whirlwind of dread and as he left the High Court for his return home for the first time in two weeks, he couldn't help but cry silent tears of hopelessness.

He met several natives who looked at him with pity and empathy. None of them stopped to actually try to talk to him. He met several soldiers who eyed him with derision, feeling contempt for disobeying their lord's command, but not of them stopped him or said anything directly to him either. That didn't stop them from saying anything about him as they walked away. The sun had gone down passed the hills as he reached his house, the once proud sight now a canker sore in his mind. He breathed heavily as he stood outside his gate, looking in at the open window where his wife and kids were at the table eating dinner. Rishi wanted to run away, to disappear and leave all this behind, unwilling to accept the burden of facing his family for being so useless to them.

But he thought back a week ago when he last had these thoughts before he saw his wife and she renewed his desire to continue on. Reminded of the dedication she has for him and he has for her and their children, he straightened up and opened the gate, limping towards the door. His nerves were high and he brought his paw up to knock on the door, having to remind himself that this was his house and feeling dejected that he felt like a stranger at his own home. He slowly reached down to the door handle and opened the door, revealing the light of his life inside: his wife and kids. They stopped eating to look back at the open doorway to see the husband and father standing with a most dispirited look on his face. Sam and Rishi exchanged concerned glances before Tessa finally broke the silence.

"Daddy!" she cried as she stood up and ran over to him. Dex followed suit shortly after. They ran over and hugged his legs and Rishi just stood there and watched, his heart melting away. Sam finally smiled as she stood up and walked over to Rishi, the two mice holding up their arms as they embraced each other. Rishi was overwhelmed with emotion that he couldn't help but sob as he held his family so close.

"Daddy, why are you crying?" Tessa asked of her distraught father.

After choking down a few sobs and wiping away some tears, he looked down at his daughter. "I just love you all so much."

Tessa was confused, but it didn't matter. She had her father back and she hugged him tight, Dex not once letting go of his pant leg. They stood in the open doorway, holding each other, wanting desperately for the moment to last, but knowing that it would eventually have to end.