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Commissioned by SaltirePhoenix

Written by Idesin

[center][u]Prince John's Victory[/u][/center]

“So you see, your majesty, the land, and the right to use it, clearly belong to the Earldom of Winchester and not the Bishop, who has overstepped his spiritual duties with his constant interference with my proper, earthly rights.”

“The wrath of God shall be upon you if you continue to malign the Bishopric of Winchester with your false statements! Not to mention how you shall burn for your slanderous accusations of his holiness. Your Majesty, the Earl here has clearly been led astray by the devil himself. That land belongs to the church.”

As the Earl and the Bishop continued to argue about grazing rights, or whatever petty inanity this argument was about, Prince John sagged deeper into the royal throne. This was most certainly not what he had in mind when he had become regent while his fool of a brother was off crusading. He had expected worshipful treatment, every want and desire satisfied. He had thought that everyone would acknowledge his superiority and bow to his decisions, giving him what he wanted and shutting up about everything else. He had planned to spend his mornings sleeping in, his afternoons feasting, and his evenings enjoying what, and who, suited his fancy to satisfy whatever desire he might have. What he had in mind was the indulgent, hedonistic life of his brother..

Instead it seemed that all day, every day, was filled with the awful demands of these pointless squabbles. It appeared that nobody in the whole country could make a decision without him. What land was granted to which title, what guild held which rights, who was to collect the taxes, oversee the ports, lead the armies, it was endless. Worse, it was boring. That would have been bad enough if he just had to pick an answer for these meaningless questions, but everywhere he turned the nobles, clergy, and even merchants were refusing to cooperate. They withheld the dues owed to him until their problems had been settled. Some even had the nerve to suggest they may even start supporting outlaws, like that damned Robin Hood, if he didn’t decide the way they wanted.

“What happened to the divine right of kings.” He mumbled to himself under his breath. But he needn't have bothered to hide his distaste. It wasn’t like the assembled members of the court were paying any attention to him. Getting the throne should have been the hard part. But if he had to listen to even one more recitation of lineage or list of historical grievances he was going to snap his crown in half.

Suddenly there was a commotion. The finely dressed courtiers parted and made way for the rough, filth flecked rhinoceros guard that entered the royal chamber. He provided a most welcomed distraction to the mundane repetitiveness of the court. The prince nodded him forward, allowing him to interrupt whichever of the two was still talking. The dungeon guardsman leaned down and whispered in his ear. “Your Highness, I have been sent by Sir Hiss to inform you that there is a development in the ‘special’ dungeon that should provide very entertaining to you.”

A smile crept across the lion's face. Thank god for that snake. Even if it turned out to be nothing but a demonstration of a new way he had found to hypnotize his victims, it had provided him with a useful excuse for leaving this den of listless vipers and boring wolves. Standing, with as much gravitas as he could muster, Prince John spoke to the assembled crowd of assorted animals.

“It is a very complicated case you two have put before me. Unfortunately, I have been called to personally deal with a grave threat to the realm. I hope, by the grace of God, that I shall not be gone too long. But until I return I ask that you, my loyal subjects, enjoy the garden and each other's company. Maybe, if you are blessed by the almighty with the same wisdom and insight he has blessed me with, you can solve some of your issues among yourselves.” Leaving the grumbling menagerie behind he all but ran out of the room, his exit covered by the big, bruteish rhinoceros who’s intimidating stare and powerful bulk served to keep even the most desperate petitioners from following him.

The maneless lion was giddy, almost clapping as he danced down the stairs two at a time. Visiting the dungeons always gave him a thrill, but the special dungeon was, well, special. It was for far more than mere punishment or interrogation. Once an inmate went in, they were not leaving. Who and whatever they were before, now they were nothing but a plaything for him, Sir Hiss, and his most loyal guards and retainers to use as they saw fit. Just thinking about the types of things he got down to down there had his royal rod growing hard and stiff inside his fine silken codpiece as he descended from the light of open windows to the flickering darkness of the torch lined walls.

As he approached the thick oaken door to the special area of the dungeon he paused to let the guard go ahead of him and unlock the door. The man, hired not just for his strength but the confidence with which he held it, was one of those handful of guards not only loyal, but perverse enough to be allowed free access to this area. Both traits had been proven when he had spent an entire evening showing Prince John the sort of worshipful adoration that the regent deemed his due from every subject. With the door opened by the big rhinoceros his feline employer passed by, purring, giving a gentle pat on his package. Taking a torch, he wandered into the darkness.

“Hiss? Oh Hiss? What have you got that was important enough to interrupt the important men fawning over me upstairs?” He called out, voice dripping with sarcasm, but received no reply. Cocking his head to the side he listened for some sign of where the charmer was. Just on the edge of hearing, behind the farthest door, he could hear the snake hissing something, in that low, droning, hypnotic tone of his. Now literally, actually skipping forward he was soon at the door. What he saw though the barred window was perhaps one of the last things he expected to see. Bent over, fluffy fox tail facing him, was Maid Marian locked in stocks! In front of her, swaying back and forth, eyes full of concentric circles of coolers and hissing instructions was Hiss.

Cautiously, curiously, he quietly opened the door and stepped inside. If Marian was innocent and needed to be returned she would not remember any performance of anger and wrath against Hiss. On the other hand if the vixen deserved to be there, if she had finally done something that could make her disappear, he did not want to interrupt the skillful conditioning that Hiss was weaving around her mind. Closing the door behind him, Prince John waited for his scally assistant to finish.

As he waited, the lion admired the vixen's shapely, young, well padded rear. While not the largest size, it was quite attractive. Especially when bent over like this. Shame that she was still so flat in the chest. But she had time yet to fill out more. After all, he had watched the maid grow from a gangly young ward of his brothers into the beautiful and vibrant flower she was today. Long had he wished that he could have taken her for himself, used her to slake his lust. But she was protected in too many ways. He had been forced to make due with peasant girls desperate enough to sell themselves at houses of ill repute. But if she was here, that changed everything.

“Ah, sire! Glad you could make it! I’ve just finished up with our guests. I think you’ll be very surprised, and very happy, to see just who it is.” The snake coiled up, ‘standing’ on the fox’s back and grinning at his liege, gesturing with the end of his tail over the prisoner he had just finished conditioning

“Is that some sort of joke Hiss? I can clearly see that this is Marian. Just what did she do to end up here?” John was grateful to the snake for extracting him from the dullness of the court, but he did not come here to be talked down to yet more.

“Ah! But, do your eyes tell you the truth? Or have you been deceived by the scurrilous, treacherous outlaw once again?” Relishing the drama of the moment, Hiss used his tail to pull the pinkish purple skirt of his prisoner up. Incredulousness turned to confusion, which turned slowly into deep satisfaction on Prince John's face as the lifting of fabric revealed a very prominent bulge in the underside of the bent over fox’s surprisingly rustic and threadbear underclothes. This was clearly a man before him stuck in the stocks, not a woman, with his ankles firmly bound by iron shackles. There was only one fox in the entire country whose capture could have justified all the excitement that had been caused.

“No … Hiss, is this? Could it be?”

“It is, and it is! None other than-”

“Robin Hood!”

Prince John nearly shrieked, quickly running around front. The todd had done well disguising himself as the maid with colorful cosmetics, but seeing him this close up there was no doubt that it was the famous outlaw of Sherwood Forest! The fox smiled gently, almost drunkenly, and looked up at the Prince with mesmerized eyes.

“Oo-de-lally! What a joyful day! Prince John, I am so happy to see you, my rightful King and Master. I am so ashamed of how I have treated you. Please, let this poor lowly fox make it up to your greatness.” A wide, dopey grin was draped across his muzzle as he spoke giddily, giggling here and there, like he had become a lack-wit.

Prince John stared at Robin Hood, mouth hanging open. It was, if not everything he ever wanted, one of his most beloved fantasies. The thieving rebel, here, in his clutches, acknowledging his superiority!? It was almost too good to be true!. Moving out of the todds view he turned to Hiss. “Not that I am unendingly pleased by this development, but I think you can understand my confusion. When all our genius plans and schemes to catch him have failed so utterly, he is here suddenly, without any action on our part? What in the name of William happened?”

“Just a few short hours ago a guard was confronted by ‘Maid Marian’ here, and ‘Lady Kluck’. They barged into the dungeon and demanded, on your orders, to be taken to the rooster bard. The one we’ve been trying to make sing on Robins wheareabouts. Fortunately this guard had just come from the stables where they had helped Marian pack for a long trip. Thus, he knew this could not be the same woman he had just seen off into the woods, and realized that it must be Robin Hood pretending to be her!” Hiss’s grin was growing wider and wider as he related the story of how Robin had delivered himself so fully into their hands. He, and his sovereign, savored each delectable morsel of the incredible story as he told it.

“Your loyal guard, therefore, instead led them into the oubliette cell. Not suspecting their ruse had been discovered, they followed him inside, peering into the darkness of the hole. While they looked for their friend, the guard put his plan into action. He locked the cell door and called for backup. To prevent the two unscrupulous criminals from using him as a hostage he jumped into the oubliette and covered himself with a shield. Left with no way to escape, and with the rooster's life being threatened, Robin and Little John let themselves be shackled. I arrived soon after and have spent the time since conditioning the outlaw’s mind. Now he is your plaything, my king.”

The royal lion smiled widened to be as large as the snakes. For once the vulpines craftyness had been his undoing. He had finally become too clever for his own good. Caught dressed as a woman of all things! Even better, the athletic, firmed bottom outlaw looked good in a dress. It suited the new submissive lifestyle he would be living. But just before he was about to celebrate his victory, he was reminded of the last time the fox had cross-dressed. He had to be sure this wasn’t some trick.

Regaly he strode back in front of his prisoner. “You said you wish to make up for your transgressions against me, thief. Your crimes are many, and the embarrassment you have caused me is incalculable. For you to redeem yourself in the eyes of God and your sovereign, you shall feel every embarrassment you have cost me, be as humiliated as I have been, ten times over.”

“Eagerly, my lord. My shame and regret knows no bounds. I fully submit myself to you. I am nothing but your plaything, to be used how you desire, however you desire.”

“Prove it then. Show me the proper worship.” The monarch held his hand out to be kissed. The test, and trap, was laid. The last time Robin had kissed his hand he had absconded with the jewels from the royal rings. Prince John waited to see what would happen this time.

“Of course my master. I shall show you all the respect and devotion you deserve. Your mightiness, your exaltedness, your highness, my King.” Robin lowered his head and kissed the soft fur on the back of the regents hand. His lips were soft and supple, his actions filled with respect and devotion. He strained against the hard wood of the stockade, pressing his shoulders against them, eager to do as he was bid. Over and over he showed his dedication and worship, and not once did he even nudge the jewels of the rings. The mind of the thieving thorn in his side had been obliterated.

With the assistance of the guard who had fetched John, a heavy iron collar was clasped around Robin Hood's neck, the heavy chain attached to it placed in the regent's hand. He was removed from the stockade, but in an abundance of caution yet more chain was used to bind the rogue's arms behind his back. With the cross-dressing outlaw on his knees in front of the lion, Hiss and the Rhino were dismissed so that the captor might enjoy his victory in peace. Sitting on a wooden ‘throne’ constructed for just such a purpose Prince John slid his sandals off and placed them on a small stool in front of his nemesis. “Now then plaything, show your King his proper worship. Kiss over every inch of my feet.”

“Your wish is my command, my King.” So saying the handsome todd bent his head forward and placed a worshipful kiss upon the big toe of the lion's right foot. He was kneeling on the cold, hard stone floor, cushioned only by the dress that he wore, but he showed no sign of discomfort as he began to worship the feline's feet. First he moved down the toes of the right foot, giving each one a kiss with the sort of passion and devotion that he had only shown the woman who’s clothes he wore. Then he did the same to the toes of the left foot.

Arms held secure behind him, the former outlaw really put his back into it. Arching forward he kissed the smooth, yellow heel of the smooth, yellow heel and began to trace a line of worshipful, slow, passionate kisses up. His soft, black lips pressed against the king's feet over and over, leaving the faintest marks with each submissive act. Turning his head he kissed the side of his master's foot, running his tongue along the underside. Bit by bit the attention turned from courtly chastity to despreate, needy passion. Robin wrapped his lips around each toe in turn, sucking on them, running his tongue between each one. His breath grew ragged and panting as he began to lose himself in the worship.

Putting one foot on his prisoner's head to catch his attention, the other was used to tilt his head up. Prince John was thrilled by how empty those eyes were. Moving to squeeze the fox’s muzzle between the arches of his feet he grinned down. “Tell me, how do you feel? Go ahead, be honest. Tell me how much you love this.”

“I feel better than I ever have before, my master. I have found my purpose. With every kiss, every lick, every suck over your majestic feat I show how lowly I am, and how high you are. I am nothing but a mouth to worship you. A toy to bring you joy.” So saying, Robin continued his attention, turning to nuzzle his soft cheek into one foot while slowly licking over the other. He traced the curve of the arch, the ball of the foot, and each and every joint of the royal's toes. Closing his eyes, he let out a heavy moan, lost in desire, lost in worship of those feet.

Prince John leaned back, relaxing into the sensation. A warm mouth, a slick tongue, firm lips played over his feet. They were showing each and every inch of him the sort of attention he, as the rightful ruler of England, deserved. His own eyes closed as he enjoyed the sensations. Smooth, almost ticklish, but far more pleasurable. It was almost as good as another part of him being inside a different warm, tight place. But there was no need to rush. He was taking care of very important business here. Everything else could wait. He could take his time. Though the turgid, twitching ‘royal scepter’ under his tunic did not wish to wait forever. So with one last, long, worshipful lick over his heel John pushed his worshiper away.

“Now then toy, I think it is time we move onto something more … emasculating. I’ve heard rumors about what you and the Merry Men get up to in Sherwood Forest, and you [i]are[/i] dressed for the part. So let us see how good you are at pleasing a man.” Standing, the lion drew up his tunic and dropped his small-clothes. While not a monster, his cock was nothing to laugh at. It was more than a bit longer than average, with thickness to match. His foreskin clung tightly to his smooth, bulbous head, which was already covered in the copious evidence of his pleasure with Robin's work so far.

Barely had he pulled it out before the fox dove on it, like a desperate slut. He lunged forward, as much as his restraints would allow him, and swallowed around the cock in one smooth motion. The noises he was making were the sort of deep, full bodied sounds of pleasure only made by those surrounded by sudden and almost overwhelmingly good sensations. Robin’s nose was deep into the thick fur at the base of his master's crotch, and he was swallowing around that cock like he wanted it to be part of him. But he did not rest. Soon he was bobbing his head back and forth, the veil of his feminine disguise swaying back and forth as he repeatedly deep throated the royal cock.

The subject of the sudden and skillful blow job gripped the arms of his throne tightly. His soul almost left his body as he was treated to the sort of sensation he had only found in the most renowned of whore houses. He was panting, barely able to get his words out. “By God man, every rumor and more must be true about you. You suck cock like it was how you get your dinner every night! Slow down you glutton, slow downI say! You are not going to be done with me so easily. You will make this last!”

Maid Robin obeyed the words of his master and pulled back. Balancing on his knees he began to suckle around the cock head. His soft, dexterous lips wrapped around it, anchoring just under the flare of his head as they massaged the glands. His tongue lapped up and down just under the tip, sometimes sliding to the right or the left. Having already swallowed what pre-cum there was when the royal sword had been unsheathed, he now greedily lapped up every drop that he could coax from his master. But it was still too much. Leaning forward John grabbed Robin by his cheeks and pulled him off his tip before he erupted.

With firm hands the fox was guided to a less grandiose but no less worshipful position. Head between the lion's outstretched legs he began to sniff and snuffle up and down each side of his crotch, kissing, licking, worshiping. He nuzzled each thigh, kissed the royal orbs, and made sure that his nose was filled with the scent of his master. Eyes unfocused, still swirling, he was lost completely in the hypnotic thrall of being a sexual servant to his former sworn enemy. Turning his head he smooched the side of the object of his desire. He left it covered with plenty of saliva from the kissing, licking, and sucking.

“That’s right, just like that toy. Get me nice and wet. You know where this goes next, don’t you? Mmmn, with how experienced you are, I worry you might not be as tight as I could hope for. What sort of buggering debauchery do you and that ‘little’ friend of yours get up to? Well, it is of no matter to me. You are dressed like a woman, and will be treated as such.”

The hypnotized prisoner responded beautifully. Pulling back he smiled up at the one holding his leash. Eagerly he shifted on his knees, the chains clinking with the movements, until he had turned around. Raising his ass up, he pressed his face to the floor. His tail was wagging back and forth with anticipation. The sight of the famed ‘hero’ Robin Hood offering his ass up so eagerly almost pushed Prince John over the edge. But, like the king he was, he kept control of himself, eager to enjoy every bit of this opportunity.

Standing and looking more regal with every passing moment as he was given everything he wanted, as he deserved, the regent grabbed the ass of the ‘fair maiden’ before him. He squeezed that surprisingly plump posterior and was treated to the sound of heavy, lustful moans. Bit by bit he pulled the skirt up over the end of the fox’s rear end, tossing it over him, letting it cover his top half with all that extra fabric. Popping a claw he ripped off the small-clothes that had been worn under the dress.

“You won’t be needing those any more, will you? You are to make yourself ready, at any time, for myself or any of my men to use you as we see fit. You are nothing but a dungeon slut now, a warm body to be filled with the cocks of your better.”

“I’m a dungeon slut. I crave cock.” Robin mumbled from under the folds of the dress, his voice quivering with desire, his ass shaking. He gave a yelp, and then a loaning moan as his ass received a firm spank, one that made his rear end jiggle.

The lion spanked the fox several more times, enjoying the sensation of assaulting the outlaw in such a sexual way. He could only hold back so long, however, and all too soon he was spreading the fox’s cheeks. He was delightfully surprised by what he found - No virginal hole, but no gaping ruined thing either. Instead, it was a puffy, sucking, well trained asshole. He leaned forward, his tip just kissing the entrance, and Robin's ass nearly sucked him in. Both moaned together as he obliged by pushing further in, his toys ass spreading around his cock and squeezing him, almost milking him as it forced him to bottom out. It was too much. Roaring like the lion he was, Prince John came as soon as he was balls deep in his prisoner, filling him with his royal seed.

But he was not done. No, not now. Even as his cock throbbed, shooting the last of his orgasam into the surprisingly well trained rear end, he didn’t even consider being done. Instead he grabbed that ass, claws digging into the outlaws flesh as he began to fuck him. He fucked him hard, he fucked him fast, and he fucked him deep. He fucked Robin into the cold flagstones under them with the passion and need born of finally getting revenge on the one who had caused him so much trouble and embarrassment. He growled loudly, yowling as he slammed in and out, his hips pounding against the Fox’s rear end, his balls slapping against Robins with every thrust, spanking them with each thrust, establishing the dominance he had always craved. Lifting that rear into the air he continued pounding, harder and harder, pushing up against the wall as he ravaged that ass. Took it as his own. Claimed it in his royal name. And he did not stop until the emasculated toy came hands free, shooting all over his dress, forced into orgasam by his master.

That only caused the attack to pause, not stop. His cock throbbing, pulsating with the pleasure and adrenaline of the ravaging, Prince John pulled back and dropped the stunned, hypnotized fuck toy to the ground. Kneeling, he turned the fox, rolling him over on the dungeon floor. Hiking the dress up, he pushed the fox’s legs up over him, pushing them till the flexible fellow nearly had them behind his head. Then he pushed in again. He wanted to see it, to see the fox’s face contort with pleasure. See him being so grateful to be used.

Thrusting in and out, pinning the outlaw by his legs, he filled that ass over and over. With every slap of his hips against the fox his toys cock bounced and leaked. It was, admittedly, not unimpressive, but it was hard to look manly when it was just above an asshole getting pummeled by another man's cock, and attached to a slut who was begging for more between panting breaths. His face was filled with pleasure, begging for more with his panting breath. Robin was bent in half, stretched as far as he could go, and he was lost in the pleasure. His mind was completely gone as his prostate got punched over and over again by the royal cock. It was the most beautiful thing John had ever seen.

Hilting in with one last deep thrust, Prince John came again and, either through his own training or Sir Hiss’s hypnosis Robin once again orgasamed hands free. With only the pleasure of having the royal lion ravaging his ass he shot his load all over his face. His cock throbbed several more times, shooting lines of cum over the dress bunched over his chest. His rear squeezed hard around the cock that had again filled him with royal seed. Panting, the lion slowly pulled out and wiped his cock clean on the fur of the fox’s thighs.

“Clean yourself up, toy. I want you ready for more when I come back down. I can’t keep my royal subjects waiting all day, but you can rest assured I will be back for more of your ass and honor later tonight.”

“Of course Master. I will make myself as pretty for you as I can. Please, come and use me as much as you want. It is what both of us deserve.”

John smiled, and stood up. So this is where the divine right of kings had gone. He was certain he could put up with more of the inane bickering of his subjects when he knew that the plush ass of Robin Hood awaited him after his duties were done. Perhaps, in time, with more hypnotic reinforcement from Sir Hiss, he would be able to bring Robin up and show him off to those disrespectful courtiers and show them what happened to those who thought they could defy the crown.

Pulling on his own undergarments, the lion adjusted his tunic and royal robe to ensure that he was every bit as resplendent as he ought to be, and left the cell. He closed the heavy door behind him, making sure it was locked. Already he could see the chained up Robin working to lick his own cum up off of his face and dress, and squeezing his thighs to ‘clean’ out his bottom, further spreading his master's cum over his thighs. He was very dedicated in his efforts, working to make himself as cute, submissive, and desirable for his master as possible.

As he prepared to leave the ‘special’ area of the dungeon, he heard something that he had missed while he was taking advantage of the bound rapscallion. Across from the cell he had just exited he could hear the panting, slapping, moaning sounds of more buggery going on. Curious, he moved closer to look through the barred window in the door to see just who was having their fun, and with what prisoner. He had not remembered this cell having an occupant before.

His questions were soon answered as peered through the window. There, on all fours, was ‘Little’ John, also costumed in a flowing blue dress. His fur had been covered with flour to make him white, and he could see a discarded piece of yellow painted wood with twine in the corner. The king had to chuckle. He could only imagine how much the big bear had not looked like Lady Kluck. But, as entertaining as that idea was, it was not why he found himself staring into the cell.

For in the cell he could see his loyal Sheriff of Nottingham establishing dominance over the captured outlaw. The wolf was fucking him hard and fast from behind, slapping his ass ever once in a while. But he was not alone. The loyal rhinoceros guard that had guided him down was kneeling in front of the big bear, holding the prisoners head in his big, grey hands. His thumbs were hooked into the corners of his toy's mouth as his big grey cock thrust in and out, over and over, causing ‘Little’ John to drool all over himself. Together the two of them were spit-roasting him, filling the villain on both ends.

Above it all was Sir Hiss. The serpent was coiled up on top of the well fucked mans head, bent over so that he was eyes to eyes with his victim. Whispering directions, orders, compliments, whatever it was the snake did as his eyes swirled in colors. He was pushing the bear deeper and deeper into a hypnotic trance as cock was pushed deeper and deeper into each end. There were signs of a struggle in the cell and, even now, it seemed like the bear wasn’t as deep into the conditioning as Robin has been. But he was getting there. There was no hope for him, not with Hiss’s power, and not with the two loyal brutes showing him the perks of his new life. A large stain forming in his dress showed that, despite himself, his body was enjoying the attention.

Looking back to take in the whole scene once more, Prince John caught the eye of the Sheriff. The wolf first looked surprised, but then grinned. He gave a hard spank and thrust, causing the bear to shudder. It was a performance for his King. The lion nodded at him, and the canine nodded back. If there was anyone who deserved to take their frustration out on these two almost as much as Prince John, it was the Sheriff. He had suffered no end of humiliation at their hands. Now they were getting their payback.

“My good Sheriff, I see you too are enjoying what fate has gifted to us. If you do not have to return to Nottingham soon, I think it would be most enjoyable for you to join me this evening. I’m sure there are all sorts of things that both of us would enjoy watching these two friends get up to together. Maybe we can even show them off to that bard they failed to rescue. After all, we no longer need him to tell us their location. But maybe he could spread the tale of ‘Robin Harlot’ and ‘Little Slut’. Let those uppity peasants know how far their vaulted heroes have fallen into debauchery.”

Both the Sheriff and Sir Hiss gave snickering laughs. Joining in with a hearty laugh of his own the regent walked off. This was the best day he had had in a long, long time. Perhaps since his brother had left. He felt bolder, braver, more complete than he had ever felt before. He had both of these sluts on leashes, and he intended to use them. What a way to reward his loyal guards. Robin and Little John were going to be fucked and used untill there was nothing left of them. It may take the rest of their lives, but they were going to pay back all of the humiliation and discomfort, and cost, they had caused him. With interests.

Ascending the stairs, he was soon back up in the Royal chambers. Grabbing a goblet of wine to refresh himself, he sat down on his throne, filled with an energy, vigor, and confidence that he had rarely had before.

“Now then, where were we? Ah, yes, the two of you were arguing over who’s peasants could use some strip of your adjoining land. And for some reason, instead of solving it like intelligent, virtuous, civil gentlemen, you each decided that embarrassing the other in front of me was necessary for your victory. You each thought you could force me to bow to you, make me support you. I bet you’d really like that, wouldn’t you? Well, it’s not going to happen. What will happen is this. The two of you have one month to come to an agreement that works for both of you, or else the land will become royal property, and neither of you will get to use it, understand?

Watching the two shocked animals react to his sudden, brash, confident return filled him with joy.

Oh, it was good to be king.

[center][u]The End[/u][/center]