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I'm sure every child entertains the fantasy. To be a knight, to defend the realm from whatever darkness or evils that threaten it, defending the weak and helpless with flashing blades of honor and duty. Faithfully following your lord, serving him as he leads you fearlessly to glory and victory. I packed my things, received my parents blessing, and began the trek to become a royal guardsman, unaware of just what would lie at the end of this path.

It was simple, sometimes menial work. Tedious, boring, mostly standing one place for hours at at time, weighed down in bulky, uncomfortable armor, with only a hard stone wall or a wobbly spear to lean on. But, it is at least honest work, and my comrades seem a pleasant sort, though I've mostly kept to myself so far, making only a couple friends in my time here.

My graduation ceremony was simple and short. Me and the handful of other cadets, we said our vows of loyalty and service, received our seals, and more importantly, our swords. "To uphold honor and order in the service of our lord." the Commander said. They were simple, unadorned blades of steel, marked only by the sigil of the house that we now served, carved into the pommel.

In comparison, the ceremony that came after that was... long. Long and arduous. It took me days to memorize the order of formations and timing of the salutes that the guardsmen were expected to follow. Sword up, point out, retract, turn to the side, step step step, stand at attention... all for the show of it.

I suppose it's enough of an occasion for it. It is the coronation of the new duke, after the tragic loss of his father. I knew little of either of them, other than what I hear from the dark, shadowy whispers in the halls of the castle. I knew for certain only that the former duke's son is quite young, and still in the process of being bred for the position.

As the procession passed my formation, I caught a glimpse of him. Silvery grey scales, smooth and shiny with youth. Short, adolescent horns sweep back across his head, his deep green eyes peering carefully around him. He wears a stoic expression, but somehow... behind his stony facade, I can see that he's apprehensive, nervous.

I spent too long looking, and missed a cue. The look the captain gave me was stern - not harsh, but I know that he'll make me regret it later. I can hear it now: "Guard Luro, you dishonored the entire company!" Or something of the sort. It will be cleaning duty or night guard for me later. Or both.

That's all I saw of the duke's son at first. Or should I call him Lord Asterius the Second, after his father? Duke of Eastwall, Rainbrook, Port Aster, and all lands and citizens therein. I wonder if he enjoys stuffy titles like that.

As expected, I was drawn for the night watch. Fortunately, it was for the northeastern tower post, an unfrequented part of the castle, overlooking the castle gardens, and an easy place to catch a nap in peace. Not that I condone that sort of thing, of course.

It was fortunate that I didn't give in to the urge to do exactly that, because sometime after midnight someone entered the gardens. It was none other than Lord Asterius, dressed in his dark blue night robe. I slowly slide up to the edge of the wall, peering down and trying to stay out of sight.

Asterius, seemingly lost in thought, slowly paced up to the sole flickering torch in the gardens, and snuffed it out. The moon was bright enough that I could still make out his shadow, but... he simply found a bench and sat. A cool nightly breeze made its way around the wall, gently rustling the leaves in the otherwise silent garden. Motionless, I continued staring at the figure of Asterius, a dark shadow among the scattering of black and blue in the moonlit garden. I wondered what he was doing.

Minutes passed. Ishe just out here to think? To enjoy the peace and quiet of the garden after hours? Or... is it something else?

It occurs to me that I am indeed a guard of the castle, and thus his well-being is my concern. I slink out of my hiding place and grab my torch. Approaching the wall again, this time in plain sight, I clear my throat and call down to him.

"Ahem... uh... Lord Asterius? Is everything alright?"

Amid the murky darkness I can see him raise his head so quickly that I think I startled him. After a moments hesitation, he stands up.

"Everything is fine. I just came out here to think. I plan to return to bed now."

I'm not sure how to respond to that. I only manage a feeble "Ah... good night, then." before he exits the garden, leaving me alone again for the remainder of my lonely watch.

* * *

A hunt is called, though rumors fly as to exactly why. They seem to settle on it being for an upcoming coronation feast. I guess that makes enough sense.

I was one of the guardsmen selected to accompany the hunting party, which I think is lucky. It gets me out of the castle; a hunting party is bound to be more entertaining than stone walls and stuffy nobles, nobles visiting mostly to curry favour and inspect their new liege. A lot of important people are coming along, too: Commander Raaik, which doesn't surprise me. That scruffy lizard likes action; he's the one that pushed for guard training to be so combat and sparring oriented... though that takes up time that could be spent on other things... like formation and ceremony practice. It's a mixed blessing. At least I learned a few things, and sharpened my swordsmanship in the process.

A couple high ranking nobles are coming too. Highborn... high in the pecking list of the duchy. I hear that many nobles were in conflict with Asterius the First, I find myself hoping that animosity doesn't carry over to the son.

It was surprising to hear Archmage Neiru would accompany us as well. The court mage, and resident magical expert. Some call her the Storm Mage, saying she wields lightning and thunder as easily as one would wield a spoon. Looking at her, you wouldn't see any indication of that. Slender, dark of scale, and dressed in modest robes of violet and grey, with only a couple small pieces of jewelry to adorn her. She is soft-spoken, quiet and observing. However, her steely grey eyes betray her unassuming appearance; they have a piercing quality that doesn't seem to miss anything around her.

Plodding along the forest road, the group begins their search for the prey of the afternoon. Wild boar, hopefully a stag or two, along with some birds hunted along the way, to give the feast tonight a wide variety. I can't shake the feeling though... this motley crew seems unsuited to hunting, largely nobles and knights. The best hunter among the nearby villages arrived early in the morning: Rengly Jax. Nobody I know, but he seems to know his stuff. He frequently ranges around before coming back to lead the group further along. Maybe he should have done this himself. We look like we're just in the way.

I plod along from the back of the group, alongside another guardsman named Toulu. A simple fellow, hailing from a village neighbouring mine. He says we played a couple times as kids, young hatchlings, when his parents came to trade goods, but I admit that I don't remember. His look of defeat upon hearing that... I felt bad for saying it.

I overhear one of the nobles talking to a subordinate and glance towards the sound.

"... was a windy day, we set up camp on the hill, at the watch point."

The blue armor with rippling white accents, the sigil of the bird-and-feather squarely on his chest, it could be no other than Lord Ietri. Lord of Sky Point, a small fort in the domain of Rainbrook, under allegiance to the duchy. I have heard he is honorable and courteous, as well as a skilled warrior; an example of the ideal knight. His blue feathers are tipped with white, matching the style of his armor, while his curving beak ends in a sharp downward point. Bright aqua eyes stare into the distance, his memories playing out before them as he retells his story.

"Of course, the wind was too fierce, arrows would be useless. So... we didn't know what we were supposed to do, sitting up there in an archer position while being unable to use our archers."

The listener nods, transfixed on the story. Crimson feathers cover his body, a small pointed beak jutting from his sharply angled face. He also bears the bird-and-feather on his shoulder.

"It was fortunate, then, that the enemy had the same idea. They walked right into us, but we didn't know it was going to be the bulk of their army. The sentries saw them long before they got close, and we were able to spring an ambush right on the ridge. They fought valiantly, as did our own brave men."

His eyes drift upwards, a short smile spreading across his beak as he remembers the details. "I myself caused many soldiers and knights to yield before me, but some refused... and I was forced to slay them." He frowns at this, seemingly lamenting the loss of life. "It went smoothly until I came across Lord Kett himself, fighting desperately alongside his men. He saw me in the chaos and charged me, blade in hand."

He pauses for a few moments, collecting his thoughts. Afterwards, he speaks again, sounding almost wistful. "There is a sublime feeling to combat, a purity. A sort of... mutual understanding occurs between fighters in battle. I did not see Lord Kett, the Blackheart, who condemned his own children. I saw a warrior, a noble lord, fighting for what he thought was right, for what he believed was his path, with every ounce of his body and soul."

He sighs. "I pleaded for him to yield, but he was deaf to me. It felt almost a shame when I pierced his heart with my blade. He fought well, but, after we were both worn down, he let his guard down as I feinted to his left. He said nothing as he passed, no apologies, curses or threats... he just shuddered and fell to the ground. Upon seeing him slain, his lieutenants and soldiers began to despair, panic and surrender. But some seemed glad to do so, as well. He was not loved for his decisions, after all."

"What of the soldiers?" The soft, high pitched squeak of the red bird is a startling contrast to the moderate, clear voice of Lord Ietri.

"Ah... many of the knights and lieutenants were hung, beheaded, or imprisoned, as commanded by Asterius..." He pauses, and quickly corrects himself. "The First, of course. Most of the soldiers and peasant levy were allowed to return to their homes, ordered to pay an 'insurrection tax'. Hmm."

Whatever Ietri or his red companion may think of these events, neither say a word of it after that.

I catch a glimpse of Asterius at the front of the procession, talking with Raaik and a noble, with Neiru standing to the side listening. I can't hear what they are saying. The noble has the gruff and dour feline features of Lord Ghent. He seems to be enthusing at Asterius, but Asterius keeps shaking his head. The duke is still wearing the stoic expression I remember from the coronation, but with less hidden apprehension and more hidden frustration. Or not so hidden, since I can see it from here.

"'E's young for sure, isn't he?" Toulu mutters, noticing my stare.

"Yeah." I say, still watching the exchange.

"Prolly not much older than us. Huh..."

"Yeah." I echo.

Rengly steps out from the foliage towards Asterius and company. The aging fox nods and points towards where he emerged from. I catch a few snippets of what he says.

"Boar and... going to need a few..."

Asterius nods and gestures at an attendant, who hands him his swordbelt as well as his bow and quiver. There is more discussion as this happens and most of the entourage is organized into three groups, with the rest staying here to watch over the camp. Toulu is picked for the camp sentry duty, and I am left with not much clue where I'm supposed to go myself. As I look over the camp, I see Neiru standing next to Asterius, who is staring straight at me. To my surprise, he gestures me over.

As I approach, he speaks. "Guard, you will accompany Rengly and I."

"Yes, Lord." I respond, somewhat awkwardly. I'm no hunter, what do they need me for?

Neiru nods and steps away as Rengly approaches.

"Ready to go, sire?" He asks Asterius, who nods in response. "Is this guard coming with us?"

Asterius nods again, his eyes fixed on the hunter.

Something flashes in the fox's eyes. Irritation? He responds curtly, "Very good, this way."

He immediately sets off into the foliage, away from the forest road, with Asterius and I in tow.

It doesn't take long for the forest to swallow us, isolating us from familiar roads and faces. Without the large group around, this place is a lot more intimidating. The trees seem to press in around the three of us, and there is no trail to be seen. Rengly is sure of foot, but Asterius and I suffer through the bushes, branches, and exposed roots that block our way. The two of us seem so out of place, so helpless out in the wilderness like this.

After a few moments of navigating a particularly clustered tangle of branches, we emerge onto a calmer, more open game trail. An awkward silence sets in as Rengly scouts the path far ahead of us. A silence abruply broken by Asterius.

"What is your name, Guard?" he asks.

I was expecting an order when he spoke, not a simple question like that. I'm used to taking orders. My tail begins twitching from nerves. I hesitate for a moment before responding. "Luro, sire. Guard Luro, from South Crossing. Sire."

He lets out an acknowledging grunt and continues along in silence. However, I catch him glancing at me every so often, with a hint of curiosity in his eyes. After several minutes of travel, he speaks to me in a quiet voice.

"Were you the guard on the wall, last night?"

I let out a nervous chuckle, looking away. My tail won't stop twitching. "Yeah, that was me."

"Hmm." The slightest hint of a grin plays on his mouth.

I think he's trying to be friendly. Bolstered by that thought, I speak out of turn. "Were you having trouble sleeping, milord?"

"Heh... yes, I suppose." He lets out a sigh. "It was silly of me... I expected to be alone."

What does he mean by that? Humbled at his tone, I decide to keep my mouth shut for now, but Asterius speaks again.

"I remember you from the coronation, too. You missed your cue."

Flushing with embarrassment, I just laugh nervously. But, to my surprise, I can see a smile playing on the corner of Asterius's mouth. We continue along in silence for a while after that.

Rengly brings us to a small clearing in the woods, only a few feet wide. Tiny shafts of sunlight pierce the canopy, leaving most of the forest floor a shadowy green and brown. Rengly turns to us.

"The prey is nearby. I will go and flush it towards this area. Then you must take it down."

Asterius slowly draws his bow, tightening the string and adjusting the quiver at his belt. "Let's finish this up quickly, then. What am I looking for, boar?"

But Rengly was already gone.

"Hmph." Asterius looks a little insulted.

A moment passes. Both of our eyes are scanning the trees for any movement, but there is none to be seen. Asterius looks like he's already losing patience as he twists his head left and right in search of an unseen sign.

Another moment passes, and another, with only the calling of birds in the canopy to accompany it. I shift my footing a little, scuffing the dirt slightly with my claws. I adjust my sword belt, pulling out my sword an inch to check that it isn't caught. The muted sound of the sword rubbing inside the scabbard only serves to make me a little nervous. Out of habit, I check my armor straps as well. I don't typically wear the full guardsman plate - few of the sentries do, preferring to limit it to the arm and leg guards, along with a loose breastplate, all crafted with leather fasteners and much more comfortable than the standard issue plate for the keep guards.

Something doesn't feel right. Why would I have to accompany them if it was going to be Asterius's kill anyways? And if I did have to step in, it would reflect very poorly on the new Duke, wouldn't it? Neiru was talking to Asterius at the time, wasn't she? Was this her idea?

"This was folly. I did not agree to this... this waste of time." Asterius says, abruptly breaking the silence. He looks worried, now. He paces to the edge of the clearing and peers through, trying to see past the leaves and branches before us. "Wandering around in the wilderness..."

With my back turned, I hear him mutter to himself, "Was she right?"

A branch snaps behind me. I spin on my heels but don't manage to turn around in time.

My vision is sent spinning as I tumble to the ground from a blow. Fortunately, it was a clumsy strike as I shifted my weight, though with enough force to cause me to lose my footing. From the ground with stars winking in my sight, I look up at my assailant. Hooded, and wrapped in loose-fitting leathers, around which a cloak of green and brown is wound, providing good camouflage among the similarly colored trees all around. A wave of panic shoots through me as I spy a long bladed dagger in his hand, and for a moment my body recoils from having possibly been stabbed. I don't even have a moment to process the panic before the assailant steps past me and toward Asterius.

He must think I'm down for the count. His mistake! I lash out with an arm, catching his ankle and wrenching to try and yank him to the forest floor. He retains his balance, but he looks surprised to feel my claws on his leg. He raises his dagger for a strike at my arm, but stops suddenly. He trembles and gasps, and the dagger falls from his grip to thump softly in the dirt. The hand that held his dagger darts to his chest, where a vicious arrowhead pokes out, soaked in blood.

Asterius, bow raised, notches another arrow and lets it fly, adding another bloody arrowhead to compliment the first. The cloaked assassin slumps to the ground, panting his last gulps of air as he lay dying, his blood soaking into the dirt.

I look over at Asterius. To my surprise and horror, his bow is now pointed at me, arrow notched and pulled back to fire.

"M-my lord, what are you doing?" I stammer, bracing myself to be pierced by an arrow from my own liege.

"Are you one of them!?" He cries, panic stricken. What I thought was an expression of cool mercilessness seems to morph into one of outright terror.

"One of... no!"One of them? That attacker tried to kill me too! "P-please, calm down!"

His eyes are filled with icy terror, though his hands do not tremble as he holds his bowstring taut. After a moment, as the fallen foe gives a final rattling gasp, Asterius slowly lowers his bow.

"Guard Luro. I... I am not to be trifled with. I am like my father. Not... not to be trifled with." He sounds very much as young as he looks, with his voice quivering like that.

"My lord... we should get back to the others." I tell him, trying to ignore how shaken I am. I do not know the way, and I'm sure he doesn't either, but it would be better than hanging around this assassin's corpse.

"This is unfortunate." A new voice, but familiar, sounds out from the trees. Rengly emerges from the undergrowth. His tone is even, without emotion, but a look of disappointment is written clearly on his face.

"I demand an explanation." Asterius snaps at Rengly, his bow still in his hands.

"The woods are not safe, my Lord. I will take you back to the others. Follow."

Something about his attitude makes my scales crawl. I grip the hilt of my sword, keeping a close eye on him and Asterius. Rengly takes a few steps to the edge of the clearing and then gestures for us to follow. Asterius, hesitant, takes a reluctant step towards the aging ranger.

And then it all happens in the blink of an eye.

Rengly moves faster than a fox half his age, faster than either of us can react. His daggers fly from their sheaths, arcing towards Asterius. The single step that Asterius had taken put him within striking distance; he barely has time to raise his bow. With a harsh snap, the wood of the weapon is cut into two, the separate pieces now held uselessly in Asterius's hands. My own sword slips from my scabbard, a single long, urgent step taking me within slashing distance of the traitorous fox. My downward cut is parried with a deft thrust of his right-handed dagger which is then quickly pulled away, causing my momentum to throw me off balance.

I curse myself, dreading what is going to happen. As if in slow motion, I watch Rengly close on Asterius. The pieces of his bow lie on the ground, but fear seems to have completely gripped the poor, young dragon. He struggles with his sword, unable to get it free of its scabbard. Rengly's daggers seek blood, his eyes gleaming with murder against his calm, focused face. I can't get my sword up in time, I can't get close enough...

There is a blinding flash, and a crack like a whip, loud and painful to the ears. I hear an anguished cry, and a splintering impact. I rub my eyes, desperately trying to rid myself of the light suddenly burned into my sight. Footsteps, a pained grunt, and a yell punctuates my hearing as my vision clears.

The world comes back into view, still obscured by the echo of the flash, as I see a burned Rengly flinging one of his daggers at... Neiru? The blade spins through the air, its aim true, yet Neiru deftly twists out of the way, her body moving with startling agility. She raises a hand, electricity crackling over her scales, and intones with a booming voice:

"Na'la En Tu Thol!"

I cover my eyes as another flash of light floods through the forest. Rengly attempts to dive for cover, but it doesn't save him. Lightning courses through his body, singing fur and ravaging flesh, the force of it sending him careening into a tree, splitting the wood and sending out a shower of splinters. The tree recoils from the impact, leaves rustling softly through the forest. Tears of blood ooze from Rengly's eyes, now glazed and empty, and he moves no longer.

Neiru steps toward Asterius, who stands frozen, his hands still on his sheathed sword. Power radiates from the mage, her eyes glowing with a fierce light, trailing with every movement. Unnatural warmth and energy fills the area.

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. In an instant, the warmth and glow is gone, leaving Neiru as the unassuming court magister once again. The woods feel a lot less electrified.

"You... you were right, Neiru." Asterius whispers.

Neiru's voice is quiet, but confident. "Yes, my lord Asterius. I am sorry, I knew not that Rengly would draw arms against you as well, I thought him only a minor player. A single guard was not enough."

Asterius sighs deeply, visibly relaxing in the presence of Neiru. "No, he... we could not have known Rengly was so dangerous." I notice that he places a hand on Neiru's arm, seeming to take solace and comfort in her.

"It was a disappointing oversight. I apologize, Lord Asterius." Neiru bows.

"Neiru, what now? They've... they've never been so bold, not even against my father."

Neiru looks around, her eyes pausing on me for a brief moment, unreadable.Does she suspect I had a hand in this? No... she wouldn'thave picked me to accompany him if she did.

"My lord, it would be prudent to discuss this later, behind closed doors. I will accompany you back to the others, and we will return home."

Asterius looks at me as well, but suspicion is not what is written on his face. It's... something else. Hope?

* * *

It's not clear whether anyone ever intended to actually hunt during that outing. By coincidence, one of the other parties brought down a large, adult boar. The hunt is declared a success, and nobody seems aware of the attempt on Asterius's life, nor does anyone question Rengly's sudden departure, his 'service' having been completed. I would guess it was Neiru's suggestion to keep things quiet. I try not to question it... the game of political intrigue is best played by people who know the rules.

I begin to wonder if that is the most exciting thing that will happen to me for a while.

Later that evening, during my downtime, I take a walk in the gardens. The sun hangs low in the sky, shining fiercely despite its waning hour, coloring the leaves and flowers of the garden in a darkening orange. It is peaceful, and my mind wanders.

Back home, in my town of South Crossing, I was the son of a miller and a seamstress. It was a pretty simple life, as you would expect. I was raised among children of my own class; farmer's sons, storekeep's daughters. It was a town of mostly lizardfolk, though we had the odd fox, wolf, or 'whiskers'. They were just felines, but as kids we would call them 'whiskers'.

I remember wondering how it felt to have whiskers, and fur. It didn't take long for other things to take over my aimless thoughts. Father worked at the mill almost every day, from sun up to sun down. It was something he seemed to take joy in. To feel useful, to have a place, maybe? He tried to teach me, and I took to it well enough, as a miller whelp would... but I found no satisfaction in it.

Instead of getting mad at me, or hitting me, or any of the other things I've heard the other children suffered, my parents tried to help me. Our mill was not owned by us; father was just a worker, so there was no legacy for me to inherit. That left me a measure of... freedom, I suppose you could say. I was thankful for that. I'm sure my father was still a little sad to see me discard the thing he loved so dearly, but he never showed it.

I remembered a time when I was very young. A procession of soldiers came through, led by a lord and his retinue of knights. The previous lord had perished, of old age, or some disease, I can't recall. The new lord took it upon himself to survey the lands that he had inherited. Those knights... they were so handsome, so gallant. One of them, he took my hand and lifted me up onto his mount. Little me, having the time of my life. It still makes me smile. We rode around the village square a few times before his lord called him away. He placed me on the ground, and with a smile and a salute, he was gone. I don't even remember his face very well, and never knew his name, but I'll never forget that moment of kindness. I felt very safe when they were nearby, and I was very sad to see them leave.

It took me some time to realize how smitten I was with the idea of being a knight, from that day on. Simple life no longer held any luster for me. I wanted to become a knight.

It's not a simple thing, for a peasant to become a knight. None would take me as a squire, for there were far more well-bred children to fill that role; I had little money and no lands to call my own. I've heard of a term for a peasant knight like what I wanted to become: "Dirt Knights." Lords of nothing but dirt in the fields. It felt like an impossible goal, reaching too far above my station, and as the years passsed, it began to break my heart.

The only solution we came up with was for me to enlist as a guardsman at the Duke's castle. It was a faint hope at best... but guardsmen being anointed for exceptional service, or younger ones being taken as squires, was at least a distant possibility. It was all I had, so I packed my things and left my parents behind, with their blessing. I miss them, sometimes. They cared for me from the bottom of their hearts, like no other. I hope I can come back to them as a knight, and see their eyes light up like I know they would.

Among all this reminiscing, I didn't notice I was no longer alone. The sun has disappeared, leaving the garden in murky darkness, surrounding me in deadened colors, bereft of their usual radiance. A stranger stands in the darkness, on the cobbled path, seemingly staring at me. My eyes adjust, and I find myself squinting at Asterius himself, his eyes focused on me.

I rise abruptly, fear whipping through me, and stand at attention. "My lord."

He just looks at me, his face indiscernible in the darkness. His tail sways slowly behind him, while mine twitches nervously. After an awkward pause, he speaks quietly.

"You are off duty, aren't you?"

"Ah, yes."

"Then relax."

Despite him saying that, I remain tense and standing, unsure of what to do. He slowly walks towards me and sits on the bench next to mine.

"You haven't told anyone, have you?" He asks. About the assassin, I assume.

"No, lord."

"Neiru said you wouldn't." He slowly looks around the garden, taking in the nighttime sights and scents. "She is... usually a good judge of character."

With nothing horrible having happened from these moments so close to Asterius, I relax slightly, but not enough to sit back down. My eyes are drawn to him as he observes his surroundings, looking more at peace than I have ever seen him... though it could be just because it's dark.

He lets out a short chuckle, more of a grunt. "I had hoped to be alone again..."

I jolt back upright with shock, "I-I can leave, sire."

He shakes his head. "No, you may stay." It sounds less like permission and more like a request.

He has spoken fairly gently, and yet I am so nervous around him. I take a deep breath to calm myself. Relax... he wants you to stay, Luro. Relax.

Several silent moments pass as I quietly struggle inside myself. Just as I'm about to reach the closest state to being calm I think I'll get, Asterius speaks again.

"Do you like to come here too?"

Truth be told, this is the first time I've been here and not just on the walls. But I feel it would be a very bad idea to say that; in my mind it will make things awkward. I evade the question.

"It is a very beautiful garden. Very peaceful."

"Hmm." Asterius stands up.

Walking over to the torch stand between us, he strikes the flint and the world is suddenly filled with the light of fire. The new light steals away the rest of the world, leaving only me and Asterius, in our little flickering patch of garden.

"It is better in the daylight. But the night is so much quieter."

I slide myself back down onto the bench, feeling more at ease as time passes. I rest a hand on my tail, trying in vain to keep it from twitching. We sit in silence for a while.

I scuff the cobbles with my claws, trying not to stare at Asterius too much. I look around the garden trying to find something suitable to stare at, but I don't find much beauty in the firelit foliage. The orange color drowns out all else, with only darkness to combat it.

"You said you were from South Crossing. I've never been there."

I hesitate a moment, wondering if I should respond.

The wind sighs through the night, the refreshing breeze of cool air sending our shadows dancing in the torchlight.

I resolve that he wouldn't have said anything if he didn't want a reply.

"It's a nice place. Simple, hardworking folk."

Asterius lets out a short chuckle. "I wouldn't have thought you were a peasant."

To be called a peasant by your own lord. I suppose it's normal, but I find it... humbling. Maybe even a little depressing.

Asterius continues his thought, as if he was speaking to himself. "You're... earnest enough, but... there's something more about you."

The sentence hangs in the air like an oppressive mist. I can find no words to say in response. I just sit there on the bench, scuffing the cobbles, my mind working in stuttering waves. My eyes drift back up to Asterius, only to find him staring directly at me, a strange expression on his face. He continues to stare, even as I avert my eyes once more. Something about him makes me so nervous, and almost shy. His position, his bearing, his attitude?

There is yet another awkward moment of silence. My eyes glance over to him, expecting him to be looking right back, but this time he is looking away... and... smiling?

"Neiru said I needed to find people I could trust. She said I could trust you."

He looks back at me, and our eyes meet again. I hold my gaze, suddenly frozen by the word 'trust'. Can he trust me? I...

"Can I trust you, Luro?"

He is my sworn liege. Other than that, he's fairly young, and burdened by the weight of leadership at such an age. He seems to be trying his best, and... I want to support him. Like I would want anyone to support me in his position. I can't turn away from this, can I?

My tail curls tightly on itself, though it stops twitching. I stand up. I remember swearing loyalty after training, and I recall a part of the words as best I can.

"Lord Asterius..." I declare, "I'm just a guard, a peasant from a little village, but..." I pause and close my eyes. "I give you my complete, dedicated loyalty, as a guardsman of your castle and as a citizen of your lands."

Asterius stands as well, regarding me with a sharp eye.

"Swear me an oath."

But, I already swore an oath as a guardsman. To protect, uphold honor and dutiful service and all that.

"Not just like the one you all swear when you graduate. An oath... to me. To the duke himself."

To him... what does he really want from me?

I take a deep breath, closing my eyes. My heart is beating so quickly. A tiny part of me in the back of my head is wondering 'What am I getting myself into?'.

"Lord Asterius. I swear to serve you, for as long as you need me... for as long as you trust me. I vow to stand at your side."

* * *

I was drawn for east wall sentry duty, but I wasn't there for very long before someone came to relieve me. Yaris, a blacksmith's boy born in this castle town, having enlisted with the guards rather than learn the trade. A bit like me, I suppose. I wonder if he's ever left these walls?

"The lord wants to see you, Luro. Did ya get in trouble? I heard you got to guard the lord during the hunt. Did you remember your courtesies?" A wry grin spreads across the crimson scales of his face, his pink tongue poking out.

I shrug, but the memory of last night is clear in my mind. "I said my sirs and my sires, so maybe I'm being called in for a promotion?" I grin back, sticking my own tongue out at him in response.

"Ah, you're full of it. Get on, wouldn't want to keep the lord waiting." He laughs, and waves me away. "I'll be here, doing your work, as usual."

"Very good." I nod and put on my stuffiest noble expression. "I think you should get used to it, you'll be doing all of it when I'm captain!"

We share a laugh, and I go on my way with haste, suddenly wishing I could have stayed instead and enjoyed the relaxing company of Yaris.

Winding my way down the stone staircases and rooms that make up the innards of the castle walls, I cross the interior courtyard. Normally, there are a handful of knights, squires, and soldiers training here, practising swordplay on the rough and worn wooden dummies, and on each other. As of right now, it's empty, aside from a flock of birds that scatters on my approach, filling the air with the slapping of wings.

A pair of wooden gates leads into the inner keep, sparsely decorated and much smaller than the gates leading past the inner and outer walls. Two plate-clad guards stand watch, nodding greetings as I approach. I can practically sense their discomfort, standing there for hours in that stiff, uncomfortable armor.

The main keep is also fairly modestly decorated, very much keeping the theme of the rest of the castle. A long red carpet, bordered with gold, stretches out across from the door to a stout wooden table in the center of the chamber and past it to the silver-hued throne at the other end. A series of chairs are arrayed around the table, though most are empty. Neiru and Asterius fill two of the chairs, poring over parchments.

The door clatters to a shut behind me, causing Neiru and Asterius to snap their heads up. Neiru smiles, an almost motherly smile, meant to put me at ease. Asterius just looks my way, though I think a grin plays at the edge of his muzzle.

"Guard Luro, thank you for coming." says Neiru. Well, it was an order, so it's not like I had a choice, but I'm glad to follow it."We have something to discuss."

I walk towards the table, placing a hand on the top of a chair and getting a look at the papers that the pair have seemingly been studying. Maps, territory outlines, treaties, trade agreements. So many different names, numbers, dates. Most of them have been brushed aside, aside from one list of names.

"Please, sit, we are nearly finished." Somewhat stiffly, I pull a chair out and slide into it. Like an old habit, my tail begins gently twitching, tapping the ground quietly with every motion. Neiru apparently uses this as a sign to continue the conversation she was having with Asterius.

"Ietri is harmless. He is loyal, but would not be much help in our circumstance. However, if things come to blows he will surely be at our side if he is able."

Asterius nods and continues looking over the list. "Ghent?"

"Hmm." Neiru shifts a few of the papers around. "He never held much love of your father, and I fear it carried to you. He could very well be the devil hidden in plain sight, but it's nothing we can prove, and he is cunning enough to avoid being caught."

"So we couldn't trace Rengly, or anyone connected to him?"

Neiru shakes her head. "No, my lord, that would be too easy of course. There could be any number of scapegoats and middlemen along the trail, though I will explore them just the same, just in case."

Asterius pauses, looking over the list again before pointing a finger at a name.

"Is Perkan in league with him, do you think?"

"Hard to say. It's not out of the question, but Perkan has never been one to stir up trouble with the Duke. Like his father, he has always seemed more concerned with martial pursuits and glory. The upcoming tournament should pacify him, I hope."

Perkan is the lord that rules over South Crossing, among other places. It's his knights that set me on this path, but I haven't seen him visit the town since. At the very least, the populace didn't seem to hate him, though he has grown into a bit scruffy of a noble, if the rumors are true. His father, Kapren, succumbed to some dreadful infection and left his only son everything.

"How about Quayle? Or Carrock?"

"Quayle is a little too old and... a tad too infirm, to be having ambitions against you. He most likely plans to live his last days out in peace, and he has no heirs so the land would go back to the duchy anyways."

Neiru rubs her chin before continuing, her slender hand stroking the small, rounded snout at the end of her face. Her eyes glint with her trademark sharpness, intellect hidden behind a pretty face.

"Carrock... his family once held claim to the Emeraldine, but your father commandeered it to feed the army during the war, and never officially returned it. It's possible he harbours some resentment, or had some instilled from his predecessor. It could help if we offered it back, but it is your choice, my lord. It is a bountiful region, and we may need strength of our own if things were to... not go as desired."

The Emeraldine is a stretch of land encompassing much of the center of the region, essentially a giant, rich grassland, with grass that grows taller than any dragon. My own village of South Crossing was only a short distance from the southern edge of it, and I went exploring there as a child a few times, along with the other children. A swaying, rippling sea of grass, patched with farms and little villages, tiny amidst the grasses but all reaping in the bounty of the land. It was as if you could dive into the green and never emerge again. My parents were not pleased at my adventures, and I earned a lashing after a particularly long trip there, returning home after sundown to parents that were worried sick.

"Hmm." Asterius furrows his brow. "Hoyt? He is always very polite and generous."

A corner of Neiru's mouth curves into a little grin. "He will side with us if we please him well enough. He speaks with his money, and understands just as much. We are fortunate your father was lenient with trade laws regarding him, or we'd find him as just another enemy by now. Our coffers are a little light, however. I do not know how much will sway him."

I've heard a few things about Hoyt. His lands border South Crossing, to the east. He controls Port Aster, and apparently makes a lot of money from tariffs and taxes. Whether the duchy sees much of that coin, I cannot say. Rumors paint him as the type that would rather amass money and luxury than do anything else.

"Hmm." Asterius sighs. "Enough of this, I think."

Neiru nods slowly and politely. "Shall we discuss the feast then?"

A feast was the official purpose for the hunt, after all. The captains were already discussing security while I was there suiting up. Who gets to guard what, how many will watch the doors, the hallways, the walls, and so forth. It's well known that the interior guards have the slack job, getting to see all of the entertainment and only having to break up the occasional drunken row, while the kitchen security get to... ensure quality. Which of course includes sampling a lot of free food. Exterior and gate guards get the real work, making sure no riff raff comes through or tries to sneak in. No celebrating with the others, and no free food either, just stuck out in the night.

"Guard Luro." Asterius says, staring right at me. I snap to attention again, and my tail begins twitching anew. "I need somebody to be close by."

Neiru smiles at me and explains. "Lord Asterius needs someone to watch over things. Occasionally you will also have to test the food for any contaminants. After that... situation in the forest, we cannot be too careful. They may very well get bolder after that failed attempt. Be on your guard."

I nod quickly. "Yes, Magister Neiru."

"Of course, you cannot be dressed up in guard regalia. We will have something done up for you to wear."

I swallow hard. I'm going to be dressed up? For a feast? I've never been to a feast...

"Y-yes..."

"Don't be nervous. You've probably never been to a feast, have you?"

Sometimes I wonder if Asterius and Neiru can read my mind. Maybe they can?

Neiru lets out a light, friendly chuckle. "You'll be taught the basics, after you're fitted for your dinner attire. Asterius will be there to help, too."

Asterius will help? I can barely comprehend how that might go. Very awkwardly, I would assume. I cringe inside, suddenly dreading this feast. Can't I just stand next to a wall and watch? I will feel so out of place. I'll make a fool of myself for sure. I shift uncomfortably in my seat, my tail twisting around with a mind of its own.

Neiru looks at me, her eyes piercing. "This may be asking a lot of you. Are you okay with it?"

I nod quickly, stuttering. "Y-yes, it's okay. I'll figure it out. It's... it's an honor, really."

Neiru smiles at me, and Asterius's face flashes with a grin.

"It is indeed." Neiru says, "You'll be alright."

The rest of the day is a bit of a blur. I am excused from duty for the day, to get prepared and dressed for the night's feast. Yaris's envy at the news was palpable. I tried to shrug it off with a laugh, but I think it was obvious my mind was elsewhere.

After informing the on-duty captain, I head back to the inner courtyard and am intercepted by a messenger with servants in tow. They escort me to a secluded room in the inner castle, stocked with rows of shirts, trousers, cloaks, gloves, and all sorts of accessories, big and small. Simple jewelry, horn caps, tail rings, glittering golden chains, gemstones of countless sizes set in an equally countless variety of metallic rings, chains, and bracelets. Thankfully, they only fit me for clothing, and leave the fancier stuff on the shelves. I follow the instructions of the clothier and his servants as they poke, prod, and measure, but my mind is thick with thoughts.

Neiru seems to have a lot of power and sway over Asterius, but she also seems to have good intentions, as far as I can tell. It seems almost like she is trying to be a second mother to Asterius. I cannot say what happened to his birth mother, as I was hardly privy of anything that happened in his birth and childhood. She is not around, it seems, and I wonder where she might be. Perhaps she is gone, like his father. The thought makes me homesick. I hope my parents are doing __okay.

Was it safe for them to be discussing things in the keep so openly? The security was scarce, and no guards were in the room at all. Perhaps Neiru is all that is needed to protect the young Duke, especially after that display in the forest. And less guards means fewer potentially disloyal eyes and ears. But... trusting so deeply in Neiru... it would be a foolish and naive thing to do if it were anyone else, I think. If he feels he can put his faith into Neiru, then maybe I should as well. Hopefully she does not have her own designs, hidden behind a face of kindness and loyalty.

"Ah! You'll look very dashing with what I have in mind. You may go now. Shoo!"

The clothier waves me away, and his servants usher me out of the room. Intercepted outside by another servant, I am swept away to yet another room in the castle; another room I have never seen the inside of as a mere guardsman. As an imminent party guest, I am seeing more of the castle than I was as a sentry.

The room seems to be a small dining room, perhaps for private company. The long trestle table spans nearly the entire room, its surface empty and polished to a smooth sheen. The chairs around it are neatly pushed in, save for one at the corner. The old maidservant, a vixen of many seasons, smooth fur having thinned and withered with age, gestures me to sit.

"You're going to have to learn a lot in a short time, sonny. Hopefully you're a bright one."

She launches into a barrage of explanations and rules for formal dining. Which utensil to use in which hand, how to eat certain foods, how to talk and behave, how to address each fellow guest, how to pass the food, times when it is appropriate to cough, laugh, or belch. With each explanation, a servant brings silverware and plates and offers a quick, almost too quick, demonstration. I can see them running short of breath trying to match the speed that the old maidservant is talking. For a brief, merciful time, my woes and thoughts are forgotten during this short, intense learning session.

"No elbows on the table until after the main course has been taken away, and when someone proposes a toast, you must stand and raise the cup no lower than above your head, and remember to take a drink afterwards! A toast is meaningless without a drink to seal it. Of course, sonny, if it's a toast you don't agree with, or don't wish to celebrate, you may simply place the cup back down. But that can be taken as a slight!"

I just nod and nod, trying not to let any of these lessons slip through the cracks of my memory. She knows seemingly everything about dinner etiquette. I wonder if she was a noble lady in her prime. She would have been very beautiful.

"Dessert comes at the end, as the dinner winds down. If you think you've had enough, you may excuse yourself at that point. But not before! Even if you eat little of the food, you must stay at the table until dessert is served, or it can be taken as a grave slight to the host! And finish anything you put on your plate, lest it be taken as a slight to the host or the cook himself!"

I don't know if I'll have much of an appetite for this dinner. I hope that's not a slight.

"If nature calls, do try to hold it in until after dessert. This is why you go beforehand! An invited guest absent at the table for any reason can be seen as a slight. And for goodness sake, if the food makes you sick, don't let it come back up! That is the gravest slight of all."

Formal dinners seem like very stiff, stressful affairs, dreadfully full of potential slights.

Eventually, the old vixen begins to wrap up her explanations, reviewing everything once as I nod in remembrance. I stand up and thank her as politely as I can manage, feeling twice as weary as I did when I walked in. The sun is beginning to set, and the feast is about to be underway.

Before I can even set foot outside, I am whisked away once more back to the fitting room, where my dinner attire awaits.

Propped up on a wooden dummy hangs a long sleeved velvet coat of black, trimmed with white and gold accents. Underneath the coat is a black shirt with gleaming golden buttons. A matching golden dragon wing on a red background, the sigil of the duchy, is affixed firmly to the breast. A comparatively less eye-catching pair of pants hangs on the lower half of the frame, though the black fabric is still woven with modest gold designs along the sides. The fabric faintly shimmers in the light.

It looks terribly uncomfortable.

Meekly, I undress, hurried along by the clothier, who thankfully makes no remarks about my bare scales. Quietly and professionally, though wearing a poorly hidden grin the whole time, the clothier helps me into my new suit, pulling it tight and making sure it is fitted properly. I am tugged back and forth along with the fabric, and once or twice a hand pinches and pulls a tender region, causing me to yelp. The clothier simply 'tsk's at me, and continues on.

Finally, standing back to admire is work, the clothier's grin turns into a smile.

"Quite good, I think. It will do!" He points beside me, where a mirror is propped up. I get a good look at myself.

I never thought I'd actually be dressed like this in my life. Maybe in my knighthood dreams, where I'd be going to a banquet in all my knightly glory... but I usually just imagine myself in armor all the time. The suit fits well; the fabric is very soft and stretchy; not nearly as constricting as it looks, though it is still somewhat stiff. The color and design compliments my sandy brown scales, giving me an air of nobility and respect I never thought I'd have.

"You have a dinner to get to!" With a sweeping hand, the clothier gestures at the door. With a grateful bow and an awkward smile, I take my leave.

* * *

It is not as crowded as I thought it would be, but still, the main dining room is full of people, with a line up building outside the door as groups are guided through to their seats. It is oddly warm; the torch-lined walls and flickering chandelier bathe the room in fiery light. The typically modest castle seems to have given way to a richly decorated version, with tapestries and silks hung up along the walls and intricately designed carpets laid out on the floor.

It seems like every major and minor lord showed up; every count, baron and mayor of import is present at this coronation feast, along with their various entourages. I see Lord Ietri talking and smiling to his wife the Lady Elenor, her turquoise feathers shimmering in the brightly lit room. Lord Ghent sits quietly at a corner of the table with his subordinates, his sharp feline features and neutral expression failing to hide the dour attitude underneath.

Lord Hoyt sits alone at his place along the table, his thick-set body fitting poorly in the chair. The otter's fur is smooth and has a peculiar sheen, but that serves only to give him a greasy look to match his weight. He looks around anxiously, perhaps awaiting the first course of the meal like the rumors would have you believe, but I think he is just wary of the crowd. Perkan loudly chats from his place near the middle of the table, two young knights on each side of him, one with blue scales, the other red. Perkan looks a little out of place in a formal feast like this. His body is thick, filling out his green and grey tunic, his rough canine features weathered and scarred from battle. Their backs are to me, so I can't quite make out what they're saying amidst the din of things... but I do hear the words 'spinning chop'.

I am guided by an attendant through the growing crowd of lords and ladies to my place at the dais at the head of the table, right next to the duke's seat. Asterius is already waiting there, his eyes seeming to light up a little when he sees me. His dinner outfit is a regal-looking suit of red and gold, rimmed and struck through with shocks of silver, and he is adorned with gold and jewellery; a display of wealth I suppose. It doesn't particularly suit him, to be honest... but this kind of appearance is important, right?

Neiru sits on the other side of Asterius, at the place of honor usually reserved for the lady of the duke. She smiles at me and nods.

I take my seat, looking nervously around the room as the rest of the guests are shown their seats. Before I know it, the noise of the crowd has settled, and all eyes are on Asterius. There is a moment of silence before Neiru stands up and speaks.

"Welcome, one and all, lords and ladies and esteemed guests of this noble house. We are here to celebrate the coronation of our new duke. May he rule justly and fairly, and may all the lands in the realm prosper!"

There is a murmur of agreement before Neiru speaks again.

"We are glad you are all here. We shall waste no more time! Let us eat, and may the drink flow freely!"

A few enthusiastic shouts sound from along the table, as well as thumping and cheering from a handful of guests. A wave of servants file into the room, holding plates and dishes of all shapes and sizes loaded down with food of many kinds. Steaming, sizzling hunks of meat, piles of lettuce and salad with nuts and fruits, bread in shades varying from black to white, some plain, some with sweets and raisins baked in.

The clattering of dishes being placed punctuates the growing sound of the guests talking with one another. Hoyt in particular seems pleased and immediately digs in. A servant places a steaming slab of meat on the table between me and Asterius, and with a smile the duke gestures to it with his knife. Gingerly, I cut a piece off, my knife gliding through the soft, spongy meat and cutting through the stuffing inside. Carrots, celery, and other diced vegetables fill the inside of the meat, and a fresh wave of hot vapor rises into the air.

Asterius is smiling at me. He seems very at ease, and the gleam in his eyes is almost... playful?

"Try it. Make sure it's okay for me." He says, his smile turning into a small grin.

"Oh... yes." I stammer. That's what I'm here for, right?

I place a chunk on my plate before cutting into it with a fork and tasting it, testing the flavor. I chew, and chew, and then swallow.

It's... quite good!... and I haven't died yet!

Even with my lack of appetite, I quickly eat my serving and nod, and then Asterius helps himself to his own share, glancing at me every so often as he eats.

Eventually, the plate of meat is taken away, replaced by a salad sprinkled with nuts and diced fruits. I help myself to small portions and, as I repeatedly fail to perish at the hands of any sinister poison, nod to Asterius so he can have a taste. After a few dishes, it seems obvious that Asterius isn't particularly worried about being poisoned, and just wants me to enjoy every dish.

I could die if someone tried to poison him through this food. I wonder why that never really occurred to me until now. Was Neiru serious about this?

Still, the food is delicious, and since I never notice any suspicious smells or flavors after having a nibble, the fear of suddenly dying is the last thing on my mind.

There is a loud tapping of glass, and the table grows quiet. Neiru is standing once more, and all eyes are on her.

"I would like to raise a toast. We have a unique guest with us. Having proven himself during the hunt with the Duke himself, he earned himself a place at this table tonight." She looks directly at me, and my stomach leaps into my throat.

"Luro, would you stand please?"

I do, through no small effort. I hope the guests can't see me trembling. I feel like I've turned bright, burning red. The faces and eyes around the table seem to spin around me, harsh and judging.

"Luro went above and beyond in the service of the Duke. Let us drink to Luro and to the Duke's health!"

A rousing cheer echoes through the room, and I hesitate for a moment before sitting back down, my entire body burning with embarrassment.

Asterius nudges me. "You're bright red."

I cringe and cover my face. "A-ah... I'm sorry."

Asterius just chuckles before returning to his food, a set of skewered meatballs covered in a sweet sauce that I had just tried moments before. He takes a big bite of a meatball and yanks it off the skewer with his mouth. He grins at me while he chews, his eyes bright and cheerful. A smile sneaks up on my face despite my fresh embarrassment.

"That's... not very lordly way to eat."

Asterius looks at me with amusement. "Oh? Is that so?"

Before I can process what is happening, he pulls off another meatball with a hand and flings it gently at me. It bounces off my nose and falls onto the floor. I stare incredulously at him.

"You let it fall." Asterius says with a disapproving look. "That is a grave slight."

He takes off another and, slower this time, tosses it at me. I open my maw and chomp down on it in midair, grinning back at Asterius as I devour the flying meatball.

Neiru 'tsks' at us, but wears a wide smile.

As the food and drink flows on, I notice that Ghent, Carrock, Hoyt, and several other lords have empty plates, their attention occupied by the whispered and murmured conversation between themselves. Several of them, Ghent and Carrock included, send glances at the head of the table, at Asterius, Neiru, and I. Most of them cloak their expressions in stony gazes, while the less tactful ones glare right at the Duke, distaste and hatred burning in their eyes. Their looks only last a moment, but the sinking feeling that it leaves me with lasts a lot longer. Looking to my side, I see Asterius observing the lords as well, but behind his eyes lies sadness instead. The feast seems to get a little grim.

The night begins to wind down. The appetizer and main course turn into plates of cake, pudding, chocolate, and sweets as dessert is spread around the table. There is another tapping of glass, this one from the other end of the table. Lord Ghent stands and clears his throat.

"Lord Asterius, let me say what an honor it is to dine at your table." He gestures lazily with an arm. "My associates and I wish to drink to all of our health, and for renewed cooperation and agreement in our realm. Your father perhaps wasn't always... 'just', in his rule, but such things can be forgiven, can they not? I wish you good fortune."

His words are plain but his tone suggests much more. It is almost threatening, dripping with distaste disguised behind flowery words. He does not pay fealty, instead speaking as if him and the Duke are equal. It seems a painfully obvious jab at Asterius, one that even I can sense, but none of the other lords seem to care. In fact, some of them seem to agree, nodding their heads and looking at Lord Ghent with admiration and respect. It is unsettling. Of the lords I could see from here, Ietri averted his eyes and Hoyt just frowned between bites of cake. More than a handful of cups are raised in the air.

Asterius seems bothered by it, his smile having faded as quickly as his appetite for dessert.

Neiru stands once more, this time without a tapping of glass for attention.

"Thank you all for coming and dining with us. I hope you enjoyed the food and the company of the great people among us, each and every one of you. Preparations have been made for any to lodge in the castle overnight if they wish, or you may return home, as you please, though I hope you will stay or return for the upcoming Dragonwing Tournament! Thank you, once again. And may you all have a pleasant evening."

Guests begin filtering out, some with mouthfuls of dessert, others with polite smiles and bows, but all with drooping eyelids and weary, sometimes staggering gaits from overdoing it with their drink. It was several hours since the start of the feast; it must be after midnight now. Some of the torches have been left burned out, to give the room a softer mood.

I feel a tug at my sleeve.

"Come, please?"

Asterius, still looking discouraged from Ghent's 'toast', gently pulls at me. Neiru seems to have disappeared, and there is only a scattering of remaining guests among the servants tidying up. I have no time to look at who stayed before I am tugged out of the room.

* * *

Asterius leads silently me by the arm though the winding passageways of the castle. His grip is firm, though he pulls me gently, gingerly. Soon, I stand before a door which Asterius opens and leads me through.

The room is wide and circular, with shelves and bookcases stretching upwards towards the high, domed ceiling. There is a desk set to one side, books and papers stacked neatly on it, with a few loose bits here and there. Moonlight streams in from the tall windows set in the stone, long silken curtains pulled aside to allow a lovely view of the garden below. It's just me and him in this study, alone, but why am I not as nervous now?

Asterius releases my arm and walks towards one of the windows, sighing and unbuttoning his coat in the process. Shrugging off his stuffy dinner jacket and tossing it aside, he stares out at the moonlit gardens.

"He's such a... a foul old... all of them." Asterius mutters in frustration, his whispers harsh against the silence of the room.

I step forward, wary of his frustration. "Don't let what he said get to you..."

Asterius shakes his head. "Didn't you see? They all nodded and cheered for him. If it were my father... he'd have been thrown out. He isn't fooling anyone. But I... I don't have the nerve."

I stand a few paces away from him, gently wringing my hands. The toast upset him so much, but what can I say to make him feel better?

"They are always plotting, scheming, they think... they think they're so damn great."

Asterius rests a hand on the wall, the other rubbing his snout anxiously. His eyes glimmer in the silvery light, so full of uncertainty and sadness.

"I... I didn't ask for this. I don't want to be here."

I take another step forward, still unsure what I should say, or what he would want to hear from me.

"They can take their damn duchy... and burn, for all I care." His voice quivers, and he looks at me, a tear slipping down his face. His expression is so scared, so frustrated...

In half a heartbeat, the scared and anxious face is buried in my chest. He grips me tightly, claws digging slightly into my clothes. Aside from the occasional sniffle, he doesn't make a sound, he simply holds me close, trembling ever so slightly.

"I hate them, Luro." He sounds so sad.

I wrap an arm around him, stroking his head gently with a hand, whispering "It's okay..."

The night seems to stand still. We remain there, holding each other, for what seems like an eternity. The unlit room is a little chilly, but... Asterius is very warm. His tears, his touch, his breath, it all seems to flow through me, through my arms, and through my heart, filling me with peculiar warmth.

A gust of wind rustles the leaves outside. The hush and shush of the trees is the only sound in the silent night.

Eventually, Asterius pulls away from me and looks me right in the eye.

"S-sorry... I..."

I smile, and run a hand over his horns. "It's okay. Do you feel better?"

"...a little..."

His face, flushed red in the moonlight, looks so young. Younger than me. Has he ever had a childhood? Suddenly I wonder; does he even have any friends his age? Am I the only one he considers a friend? But... I'm just a guard, aren't I? This is my duty, isn't it? Am I here because it is my job, or...

"Asterius..."

Asterius huffs. "I don't like that name, really. Can you call me something else? Aster, or something?"

I look at him, surprised. "You don't like your name?

He shakes his head. "It's my fathers name, not mine. I don't like it."

An idea crosses my mind, adventurous, like during the dinner. "Hmm... alright... Asty."

He hesitates for a moment, and then grins despite his mood. "That sounds like a pet name." He feigns indignation, and then narrows his eyes and sticks out his tongue. "Lury!"

I let out a quiet "Hah!" and give him a gentle shove. "My name's already short, nicknames are supposed to be shorter."

"Ly?"

"That's not even really a name!" I say, snickering. "It's just a sound! Should I call you 'Ah'?"

Asterius laughs, and I laugh along with him. "How would we know if we're calling each other and not just stubbing our toes?"

"Exactly!"

Shared, earnest laughter. The room seems to warm up a little.

Asterius looks at me, smiling. He looks much better with a smile than with tears and a frown.

As if the dinner had loosened a floodgate, this moment has seen it burst open, Asterius and I chat as if we were old friends. Our problems seem temporarily forgotten as we joke and goof around in the dead of night, talking about the food and drink of the feast, teasing each other, and laughing together. The serious, quiet, nervous duke that I always saw is gone for the night, leaving behind a drake behaving a lot more like he should at his age; laughing, playing and having fun with a friend.

"This one was really boring, but it was written by someone famous, so I guess people like it." He says as he is going through his books, talking a little about which ones he liked and which ones he didn't. Most of these books I haven't read. Reading isn't much of a hobby for more common folk, but at least I was taught how. It's amusing, and a little cute, watching his eyes light up as he explains how he knew the villain of that book was the main character's brother all along. I can't help but smile. I wonder how many people see this side of him. It's not fair that he seems expected to give up his youth because of his birth.

He picks up another book and pauses, eyeing it carefully. "This one I like. It's uh... it's got a good story, I guess. I just really like it."

"You don't really know why you like it?"

"Well it's..." He stammers a little, furrowing his brow. "The main character is this minstrel, and he... he has to sneak into a castle to perform, and a guard catches him... but the guard is really nice, and they uh..." He trails off.

Wait a second, I think I know that book. 'The Bard and the Guard _'.__ That doesn't seem like appropriate material_ at his age _. It_'s a little unconventional, and it gets a little... steamy.Not that I've read it! I... I have friends that told me about it.

Armed with this knowledge, I decide to tease him a little. "Oh? Go on, please, it sounds interesting."

"W-well..." Asterius blushes a little, and squirms slightly. "They uh... um..."

He sees me eyeing him with a grin, and, with a huff, flings a pillow square at my face. "You! You're teasing me!"

I laugh, and toss the pillow back. He grabs it out of midair and charges me, whacking me across the chest with it. Losing balance with the motion, he slips and falls, knocking me down and sprawling on top of me, laughing. Twisting around, we wrestle on the ground for a while, giggling and yelping as we pull and tug at each other like restless children. After a moment, he goes quiet, and his wrestling becomes more intense. I find myself flat on the ground, with him above me, pinning my arms to the ground. We huff and puff, our breath mixing in the air. He looks at me with a mixture of intense curiosity and apprehension.

The silence hangs heavy in the air.

"Have you ever... done anything... like that?"

I look him over, vainly struggling against his grip while I catch my breath. "Like what?"

"Like... the book." He flushes a slight shade of red.

"Well... I..." I clear my throat nervously. "Not really. A little, kind of?"

I mean... you get up to all sorts of things as a kid right? The usual lack of supervision meant that every so often we'd find ourselves... getting curious with each other. Me and the other kids, boys and girls alike. We'd fool around, peek and touch at each other, but we were just kids. We didn't really know what we were doing.

Asterius... he never got to experience that, I guess. He's just curious... right?

The reality of the situation dawns on me, and my heart begins to pound. I stop struggling and look straight up at Asterius, wondering if he's thinking what I think he's thinking.

"What's it like?" Asterius's eyes glow with anticipation.

I hesitate for a moment, trying to process things. "It uh... it feels really nice. But you're supposed to do it with ah... someone you really like?"

Asterius averts his eyes, and his grip loosens. His voice drops to a whisper. "Well... I really like you."

A dozen voices enter my head, a cacophony of fears and apprehensions and warnings. You hardly know each other, h __e's so young, he doesn't know what he's saying_ , he's mistaking friendship for love, lots of people do that,_ you can't humor his curiosity _,_ i_ t's too perverse, you're taking advantage,_ he's the duke! What would Neiru say?

I look into Asterius's eyes, the deep emerald pools of innocence and curiosity, the reflections of fading youth and the frightening future that he has to face. And past them, the fear that he always tries to keep so hidden. The worry that he is scaring me off. That he's going to ruin everything, destroy the only friendship he ever had only days after it began.

The thoughts in my head begin to quiet. I gaze into his eyes, and he gazes back anxiously.

I smile at him, seeing some of the tension melt from his body when he returns my smile.

"Well... have you ever... done it by yourself?"

He releases his grip on my arms, his hands settling on my chest, fidgeting. "A little... at night, when I'm alone. It's... like an itch, that I scratch."

I swallow hard, bracing myself for my next words and what they may bring.

"Can you show me?"

He looks at me, mouth slightly ajar, face still glowing red. He gives a short, quick nod. Nervously, he shuffles off of me, propping himself up against a large, overstuffed cushion. I rise up to my knees, trying to ignore the excitement rapidly blooming inside me.

He sits, nervously, his hands on his lap, as if waiting for a signal. I nod at him, urging him to continue, and he takes a breath. Slowly, his hands slide into the folds of his dress clothing, undoing the fastenings, unwrapping the folds... gradually, tantalizingly undressing before my very eyes. He glances at me between each movement and motion, as if to make sure I'm still watching, to make sure I still approve. Every time, I give a short, upward nod, my eyes fixated on him, and he continues. He slides his dinner shirt off, gingerly shaking off each sleeve before returning to unfasten the rest of his clothing. After a moments hesitation, he slides out of his pants, slipping his toe-claws through the fabric and tossing the clothing aside.

My breath catches in my throat. Underneath the fabric is nothing but bare scales. Silver, shimmering in the moonlight, a sight seeming so forbidden. Yet... he looks so cute, so... stirring, sitting there with just his undershirt on. My eyes are drawn to his lower body, and during his motions, I get a glimpse of a shadowed tailhole, followed by a much better view of a nub of dark pink flesh poking out from his scales between his thighs. The sight sends a shiver down my spine, and my excitement makes way for a much stronger, deeper feeling. It's all I can do to hold in a shuddering breath of anticipation.

Asterius takes another deep, trembling breath.

"Okay..." He whispers.

I sit in rapt attention, trying not to squirm.

A hand drifts down to the pink protrusion. Lightly at first, he brushes his scaled hands against the tender, hardening flesh, and it twitches in response to every touch. With fingers and thumb, he pokes and prods the shaft, bends the tip, and glides his fingers around the soft slit at its base, all while quietly huffing and puffing along with the pleasure rolling through his body. More and more of his shaft emerges from inside of him, gleaming and moist against the white rays of the moon. He drags a finger up and down, biting his lip to hide his moan. A bubble of fluid rises from the tip and drifts down to mix with his busy hands. He works himself with gentle earnest, knowing just where to touch and how to stroke. He's done this many times.

He gasps and huffs, biting his lip one moment, mouth hanging ajar the next. Murmurs and soft squeaks slip out, his fully erect member throbbing and oozing freely. The quiet, wet sounds of his hands stroking, slick with precum, fills the otherwise silent room. The little drake, pleasuring himself in front of me, ignites a desire inside that burns with an intensity that I've never known before.

I spot two small orbs beneath his slit, the scales around them bright red with arousal. Occasionally, a hand lowers to caress and fondle them before returning to their previous work. I let out a groan. I can't take this anymore.

I edge closer, my hands shaking as they work the fastenings of my own clothing. Asterius's head snaps towards me, his expression surprised and uncertain. Without any hesitation of my own, I undress, slipping my coat and pants off and leaving only the unbuttoned black undershirt to cover me. My erection pokes out into the night air, thick and throbbing, a thin, clear line of precum oozing from the flattened tip.

"I want to show you too." I whisper, my voice trembling as much as my body. I ache for a touch, any touch; my body burns with agonizing desire and lust in the heat of the night. I move my hand to pleasure myself, but the fingers that wrap around my shaft are not my own. My body tenses involuntarily.

I look down, shocked, to see Asterius staring between my legs, holding my pink and black mottled penis inches from his snout. I feel his shallow breathing, cool on my exposed flesh, and I let out a light shudder.

His eyes flash upward at me as his hand glides up, gripping lightly, feeling the texture and warmth of my hard, leaking cock. His hands are still moist from his own precum, and it mixes with mine as he eases his hand around my length.

I ache... I ache so hard for release, my breathing is hot and shallow. My body quivers and shakes, and I lean back on my hands and take a deep breath. His touch is gentle, careful, yet probing and curious as well.

Like the crack of a whip, my body tenses and my shudders turn into a moan - a warm sensation surrounds my cock, a long, thick tongue probing and lashing at it within a wet muzzle. I gasp, nearly choking on air, and I crane my neck forwards to see Asterius, eyes closed, nose pressed against my crotch. His lips... his mouth is so... so soft. So warm.

"Ohhh." I moan, "Aster... I... I can't..."

"Mmm?" He hums, and the vibration of his voice pushes me over the edge.

"I-nnnn... aaahaah!" I bite my tongue to try and stifle the moan, and fail gloriously. My hands fly to the back of Asterius's head, each seizing a horn, pressing and holding him between my legs as I buck helplessly into his mouth. I grit my teeth so hard I think they'll crack. My eyes squeeze shut and my tail lashes out, knocking something over with a clatter.

"Mmm!!" He hums with surprise as his mouth fills with pulse after pulse of my warm, thick seed. I hear him nearly choke, but he manages to regain his composure, despite the sticky fluid suddenly flooding down his throat. His tongue continues lashing the flesh trapped within his muzzle, his lips squeezing shut around it, but droplets of cum still drip down his chin and onto the floor.

My moans turn into breathless gasps, my thrusts getting weaker and weaker, until I lean backwards onto my hands and let out a long, relieved sigh. My arms tremble weakly, struggling to hold me steady. I suddenly feel guilty for forcing his head like that, and I sluggishly try to form an apology in my mind.

Free from my grip, Asterius pulls his muzzle away from between my legs with a noisy slurp, my body coiling from the sensation. He looks at me, beaming, white fluid still hanging off his chin. The sight of it, amidst my afterglow, is enough to make me laugh aloud. I fall onto my back, grinning widely at Asterius.

"You can't what?" He asks, his face wearing a mixture of amusement and curiosity.

I chuckle again. "Couldn't. Couldn't hold back. It felt really good."

"That's good." His grin widens, and he lets out a short laugh. "You taste... interesting."

My eyes drift down to his member, still leaking, rigid and yearning. I pull myself up onto all fours, and crawl towards him, mischief in my eyes.

He watches me get close, seeming to notice that we've swapped positions. Now my snout is inches from his cock, and he eyes me with anticipation as I edge ever closer to the warm, twitching meat. My nostrils fill with his scent, the thick, sweet smell of his arousal and oozing precum.

Without giving any warning, I lash my tongue out, tracing a wet line from the base of his shaft all the way to the tip. He fails to stifle a gasp and shudder, and a new droplet of precum dribbles out and into my mouth. The taste is light and salty. Pushing my nose forwards, I bump and rub the dark pink flesh, nuzzling the meat softly but firmly with my muzzle. Dipping down, I caress his orbs with my tongue, indulging my curious urges and lapping eagerly at the bright red bumps before resuming my attention on his member. Occasionally, my tongue strikes out again, tasting, licking, wrapping around the shaft for a brief moment before retreating, cruelly but playfully teasing Asterius while he writhes and whimpers in helpless pleasure.

My hand wraps around him, fingers rubbing across his scaly rump before settling on the softer, rippling texture of his puckered tailhole. I carefully trace a path around it with a claw, poking into it, gently at first, and then more forcefully, and the entrance reluctantly gives way to my intruding digit. Asterius gasps aloud and I feel a shudder roll through his entire body. His tailhole tightens, clamping around my invasive finger, but after a moment it relents. My digit sinks deeper and deeper into his depths, pressing against the walls, twisting to and fro and feeling every inch of his warm insides. Asterius's breath catches in his throat with every bit of pressure, his body tightly coiled and tense.

He is already on the edge. His breathing turns rapid, and his groans become more frequent, more urgent. Resolving to finish him, I push my lips against the shaft, trapping it against his belly scales. I rub up and down, nibbling and licking relentlessly. I add another finger into his tailhole, sliding them all the way in and holding the pressure, my knuckles pressing hard against his tender rear.

Asterius says nothing, his voice momentarily stolen by agonizing bliss before abruptly returning as a long, deep, panting moan. Doing just like I did to him, he presses his hands against the back of my head, shaky claws lightly digging into my scales, my pointed snout rubbing him to sweet release. His member twitches and throbs against my face, squirting hot, sticky fluid onto my snout. Ropes of cum erupt from the tapered shaft, splashing onto me and flowing freely down to the floor with wet splats. I lick and slurp at the escaping fluid, savoring the taste and sensation, enjoying every fleeting moment of Asterius's orgasm along with him.

As the intense sensation in him subsides, I withdraw my fingers from his rear, using both hands to squeeze his penis in one great motion from hilt to tip, milking out one last dollop of milky white cum. He looks down at me with a gasp, his eyes weary but happy. With a grin, I lick the tip of his member, feeling him twitch as my tongue grazes his softening flesh and laps up the creamy bead.

Panting heavily, he flops down onto his rump and leans back against a stray cushion. He closes his eyes and tilts his head back against the plush fabric, letting out a long, great sigh. His member, still dripping with fluid, is already retreating back inside of him. I sit down on the floor across from him, a poking tip of pink and black flesh between my legs as the only reminder of my arousal.

Asterius tilts his head back down and looks straight at me.

"You were right."

"About what?"

"It's better with someone you like."

"Hah..." I let out a short laugh, though I'm kind of embarrassed. I avert my eyes, and my tail twitches a little.

There is a pause.

"Did... you enjoy it too?" He asks.

I snap up stiffly in response the question. "Oh, yeah. It felt really good. I..." I trail off.

Asterius stays silent, watching me with glimmering eyes.

"I... I'm glad we did this." I finish, trying to appease him.

Asterius stares at me for a moment, and then smiles.

"I'm glad too."

As the warm and pleasant feelings of the afterglow fade, they are replaced with a harsh feeling of guilt. What did we just do? I've never done that with anyone before, but it all felt so... natural. It was like I just slaked a thirst I've had hidden for years. __But... but he's the duke, and I'm just a guard. Think of the scandal. This... this isn't right. He's just a... a sheltered child and I took advantage of his curiosity, we got lost in the heat of the moment. The way he... he...

Asterius startles me out of my thoughts, his face suddenly inches from mine. He looks at me with his piercing green eyes, but he wears neither a grin nor a smile. Placing a hand on my chest, he gently but firmly pushes me onto the floor and crawls on top of me, staring down at me face to face.

"You look concerned."

I squirm nervously, unable to meet his gaze, unable to voice these sudden misgivings. "Ah..."

"Luro." I wince at the sound my name. "Please. Don't be afraid."

"I-I'm sorry. I..." I stutter, but he gently shushes me.

"You know what being afraid of me is, don't you?" He asks, using the stern duke voice that he had always used before tonight.

Icy talons of fear slide over my heart. My brain fails to conjure a response as I stare up helplessly at him.

He leans down and whispers into my ear.

"It is... a GRAVE slight."

He leans back up into sight, wearing a big smile. A realization strikes me, and it's as if a veil is lifted from me. A warmth blooms in my chest, melting away the icy fear that was there moments ago.

"That's..."

The feeling is indescribable. I feel so warm, I can't help but smile.

"That's so corny!" I say, trying to hold in a laugh.

"There's only one way to make amends, Guard Luro."

"Oh? What is th-"

My words are cut short as Asterius presses his snout into my open mouth. His lips brush against mine while his tongue clumsily, though earnestly, explores the inside of my muzzle. My breath is stolen away and my eyes close on their own, completely lost in the sensation. A foreign tongue brushes and plays against my teeth, and my own tongue cautiously rises to meet it. They flit against one another, wetly poking and caressing, locked in a delicate and awkward dance that they have never done before. The taste of his mouth is warm and kind of strange, but pleasant and welcome as well.

Any fears or doubts over what happened tonight are banished away by that kiss, sent away into the deepest recesses of my mind. Our hands and claws explore our bodies anew, blindly feeling every curve and scale during our silent embrace. Years of hidden, unexplored passion seems to erupt from the both of us, and I begin to wonder if I've been yearning for something like this just as badly as him. Or maybe more, without even knowing it.

Rays of early morning sun are beaming through the windows by the time Asterius takes me by the hand and leads me to the bedchamber of his solar. Tired, satisfied, and glowing with a peculiar warmth, I slide under the covers beside Asterius, who wastes no time in cuddling up to me, grinning. Like a child sometimes, though sometimes not, Asterius is something in between, something unique. I never thought I'd be sharing a bed with him.

---

Thankfully, the castle servants do not disturb us until well into the afternoon. There is a knock at the solar door, calling for Asterius, mentioning he has a few things on the schedule today, about visiting nobles and other things. He replies, mumbling in a voice still thick with sleep. I realize in my own sleepy haze that I am pressed up close against his back, with an arm wrapped around his chest. I must have rolled over in my sleep.

What's more, there seems to be a new, growing feeling inside me that is hard to describe. A kind of... yearning.

His back is to me, the contours of our bodies flowing along one another. After answering the servants, he slides back down and pulls the covers tight around him, pressing closer to me. For a moment, I wonder if he intends on ignoring his duties today. The thought of lazing about in the solar with him all afternoon is a pretty pleasant fantasy.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that's what the day has in store for us. He stirs after a moment and lets out a sigh.

"Mmph... nobles." He mumbles and yawns.

Clouds have blanketed the sky, shrouding the sun that had shone through in the early morning and leaving the world a dreary grey. We rise out of bed, still mostly unclothed from the night before. Asterius glances below my bare waist and flashes me a grin before heading to his wardrobe.

"You probably don't want to keep wearing those dress clothes.." He says as he shuffles through all sorts of tunics and trousers hung in the wardrobe. He eyes the collection carefully, and picks out a surprisingly plain dark blue tunic and pair of brown pants.

"Nothing lordly for me, then?" I ask, taking the clothes from him.

"Heh." is all he says in response to that. "I told the captain to give you leave for today, too."

That's a relief, but... why?

"I'll be busy for a while, but I hope you'll come back when I'm all done."

"Only for today?" I ask.

"Well, yes." He looks at me, his teeth shining in a little grin. "You're still a guard... we can't be together every day."

"What would people think, huh?" I say, a little deflated.

"It's what Neiru told me to do." He shrugs, finally choosing an outfit to wear. "If it were my decision... it would just be us."

I flutter a little inside. "Neiru is no fun."

"Not all the time, no." I notice he doesn't laugh or grin when he says this, like when he usually tries to joke.

He tosses me a dark grey cloak, trimmed with gold. "Could you give me a hand?"

I take it, walking up to him as he turns his back to me. Slowly, I wrap the cloak around his shoulders, reaching my arms around to fasten the ends together with a pin; the golden wing of his house. He leans his head back, nuzzling me gently. I pause for a moment, startled, before returning his affection with a brush of my snout.

"Mmm." He hums.

"You didn't actually need my help for that, did you?"

He steps away, adjusting the cloak and turning sideways to look at me, his tongue sticking out again.

"What do you think?"

---

The halls of the castle are still quiet in the dim light of the morning, but it doesn't take long for a growing din of activity to fill the keep. Servants rush along to attend to their tasks while various lords and knights take walks, socializing and discussing their public and sometimes private matters. It's a little uncomfortable, and I feel out of place among all these important people. I'm definitely short on sleep after last night, and so I decide not to stick around inside the keep for today, preferring to find a quiet place to relax for a while.

A light, warm feeling fills me today. Every time I think of Asterius I can't help but smile a little. I would have never thought the aloof duke would behave like that behind closed doors. Especially not to someone like me! It seems obvious now, in hindsight, that he took a liking to me almost immediately. I wonder if the same can be said about me? I guess I was just too nervous to think about it when I was around him before. Even as I think about it now, the feelings are just too complex... all I know for sure is that I enjoy spending time with him.

The gloomy clouds in the sky today can't hurt my mood, and I walk around with a lightness to my step. I climb the stairs of a guard tower and walk out along the wall, taking in the view.

I hear a commotion and turn to see a gathering of knights in the courtyard. They seem to be having some sort of organized sparring tournament. Each of them bears different colors and sigils on their breasts and shields; knights under several different masters competing against one another. Some are draconic, some are furfolk, some armored head to toe, others with only a scant few plates to protect them. It's a relatively small collection of people, perhaps a dozen, and it looks somewhat informal.

A knight, clad in half-plate armor and a full helmet, steps into the circle drawn out in the dirt. His opponent, with only a snout pointing out from his sallet, does the same. Without much ceremony, the battle begins. The two combatants launch themselves at each other, swords flashing and clashing against one another before they back off again. The knight seems to be briefly sizing up his opponent, keeping light on his feet despite the bulky shield and heavy layer of armor he's wearing. Their swords tap and clang, striking shield and metal, each trying to find an opening, neither of them committing to a full strike.

Just then, the knight seems to stumble. A small cloud of dirt is kicked up as his foot seems to drag, seemingly throwing him off balance. His opponent wastes no time, throwing himself into a fierce lunge at the knights chest. Right as his opponent launches himself, the knight twists aside, deftly sidestepping the lunge while his sword arcs out in a horizontal cut.

There is a loud CLANG as the sword strikes the opponents helmet, peeling it off his head and sending it clattering to the dirt, followed by its wearer. The opponent, a green-scaled drake with a set of four horns along his now-exposed head, rolls on his back, noticeably dazed.

The knight casually walks over before offering a hand and helping his opponent up. I can hear him chuckle from here, along with faint, inaudible discussion among the knights around him. He stabs his sword into the dirt and reaches up to remove his own helmet. Striking blue scales cover his face; a skin of dark sapphire underneath the styled strip of fuzzy blond hair going from between his eyes, down his back, and all the way to the tip of his tail. His ears twist and bend among all the clamour around him, curled leaves in a breeze of sound. From here I can see the rough ridges along his nose that end in his sharply pointed snout.

He looks so strangely familiar. A faint memory that has suddenly surfaced, my consciousness scrambling to grasp it.

The knight walks to the sidelines to wait his next turn. The spars within the circle no longer interest me; I can't take my eyes off the blue-scaled knight.

Who is he? What is this feeling?

Resolving that if I get closer I may find out, I quickly make my way down from the battlements, glancing through every courtyard window that I pass to make sure the collection of knights haven't disappeared. I walk down row after row of stone stairs, taking them two at a time. Thankfully, nobody is there to see me and question why I'm rushing around.

Crossing into the northeastern hallway of the castle, I look on with dismay as I see several of the knights crossing my path at the far end of the hall, making their way to the gatehouse and out of the castle. They're leaving.

"Gah." I sigh.

However, a sudden glint of metal shines at me from the window. Peering out, I see the blue-scaled knight in the yard, practising his swordplay alone. Silently thanking the stars above, I watch him for a few moments, admiring his style and his grace. His fluid movements, and his gallant form. His teeth are gritted from the exertion, but he turns his mouth up into a grin, relishing the feeling while he plays against the invisible foes around him, twirling and striking at all sides.

I find myself walking away from the window, the image frozen in my mind. The memory returns, the details and surroundings murky, but one thing remaining clear. His face. The face of the knight from my childhood.

I arrive at the large double doorway leading into the yard, staring at the knight while half-hidden behind the metal hinges of the wooden gate. I can hear his breathing, fast and punctuated by the occasional grunt of his attacks. His plated armor, fastened at the joints by flexible leather and cloth, doesn't diminish his agility like a full plate set would. His shield, at about the size of his chest, seems rather bulky, but a closer inspection reveals that it is mostly wooden, reinforced by bands of strong metal that wrap around it in careful symmetry. The shield is an extension of himself; one moment he is blocking and deflecting an imaginary attack, the other he is lashing out with the banded-metal edge of it to strike at an equally imaginary enemy.

I'm not sure how long I stand there watching him, fixated. Eventually, he lets out a satisfied sigh and relaxes his stance. He looks around the courtyard, catching his breath, and his eyes fall squarely on me. My heart leaps into my throat. The tip of my tail twitches weakly, feeling as paralysed as the rest of me to meet this mystery knight from my past.

"Ho there!" He raises a hand and smiles. "No need to hide there, come closer, friend! I don't bite!"

Trembling, I step out from the cover of the doorway. Slowly, step by step, I approach the knight, still focused on his face. Is this really the same knight from so long ago?

He lets out a little chuckle. "You seem afraid! Are you alright? Is there something I can do to ease your worries?"

"I... I remember you." I blurt out before getting flustered. I turn my head away, avoiding the gaze of his silvery-brown eyes.

"Hmm?" He says, quizzically. He pauses, looking at me, scanning my features before following up with a more contemplative "Hmm...".

"S-sorry, I uh..." I can't seem to grasp any words to speak with. I'm caught between wanting to run back into the castle or just collapsing into the dirt with my hands covering my head. My nerves have me firm in their grip, leaving me speechless.

"Ahh." The knight says, as if he found the answer. "It has been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Are you...?"

"I remember visiting a little hamlet with my liege, some time ago. A hamlet by the name of South Crossing. There was a cute little whelp there with eyes so very bright."

He looks me over.

"You have grown up a little bit since then, I think. Into a handsome young drake, of course." He lets out a little chuckle. "But you're still a bit cute, like that little whelp from before."

"You're that knight." I say, finding my tongue. "That day... I've never forgotten. It's... it's why I'm here right now."

He gives me a wide smile, his teeth gleaming. "Ah. Did you come here just to see me?"

I shake my head quickly. "No, no. Not... not like that. You made me want to become a knight."

He looks at me with surprise and amusement. "An admirable dream." He looks me over again and smiles warmly. "I think you make a fine knight."

I return his smile, warmed by his kind words and gentle demeanour, but I shake my head. "I'm not a knight yet. I'm just a castle guard."

With a few long strides, he closes the distance between us. He is taller than me, but only by half a head. He looks much more dashing up close. He places a gloved hand on my shoulder, patting me gently.

"You can do it." He smiles at me with closed eyes, a gentle smile. "I saw it in your eyes then, and I see it now. You have a noble soul. I would be honoured to count you among our ranks, when that day comes."

His words resonate so strongly within me. I look up at his smiling face, finding comfort and warmth in his gaze. Just like when I was a child, he envelops me in an aura of safety and peace. Before I can process what I am doing, I lean into him and wrap my arms around him, embracing him in a heartfelt, thankful hug.

I close my eyes, pressing my cheek against the plates of his neck armor. I hear his weapon and shield fall to the dirt, his arms sliding around me, holding me tight. After a wonderful, tender moment, I pull away, and he looks me in the eyes.

"Oh, my... was that something you needed to hear today?"

It dawns on me what an awkward thing this was for me to do. I could hardly stop myself. He has such a gentle charm, the nervousness that I had at first faded away so quickly. His words and smile brought back clear, strong feelings from my childhood. A burgeoning affection, and a strong attraction, drawn to him like a moth to a flame. I feel so safe and warm with him around, just like when I met him and his fellows in my village. Like the world just cannot harm me.

"Ah... thank you, knight. Can I... ask you your name?"

"Rutellan." He says with another of his warm smiles. "Sir Rutellan Suseri. And you?"

"Luro Erutes. Er... Guard Luro."

"Ah. Indeed. Just as cute as the little Luro from before." His smile turns into a shameless grin, and I flush bright red in response. "If you aren't busy... would you care to practice with me?"

---

Our sparring session seems to go by in a flash. His methods are surprisingly tough despite his gentle demeanour, though he does his best to restrain himself to avoid bruising me too much. I was handed a wooden shield, which, despite being bereft of any iron-lacing, felt much too heavy and cumbersome in my hands. Several times Rutellan would knock it aside and land a hit on the thick cotton vest that he had given me to wear. He seemed to always find a way through my defenses; he can weave past both my blade and my shield with seemingly no effort. It was humbling, but he was always ready with an encouraging word and an earnest reminder that he has been doing this for a long time. "Don't be discouraged!" he would say, smiling at me, "It will come with time, you must simply practice."

And practice I did. I spent the better part of the morning and afternoon in that courtyard, oblivious to the rest of the world. The only things before me were my sword and shield, and Sir Rutellan. I did manage to strike past his guard a handful of times... but I suspect he was letting me do it on purpose, to keep my confidence up. Even as we did our mock battles, I could not help but feel that he would never let any harm come to me. Every strike, every parry, seemed to be a window into his mind, and aside from the occasional remark or compliment, we would spar in silence, absorbing and learning from each other through the simple purity of combat.

Ietri's words come to mind: "There is a sublime feeling to combat. A purity. A sort of... mutual understanding occurs betweenfighters in battle."

I feel a bond form between me and Sir Rutellan. Though forged in the safe confines of training, the feeling is nonetheless strong.

Only as the sun started to set did we finally stop. Panting and exhausted from head to toe, I lean against a stone wall to recuperate. Rutellan, having hung up his training equipment, gently takes mine from my hands before hanging it up as well.

He looks me over with a grin. "Very good today, Luro. You deserve a rest now, and it looks like you need one!"

I let out a sigh, slumping to the ground, and he chuckles.

"You probably need something to eat, too. Do you need a hand up?"

"Whew... no, I'm alright... just give me a minute."

He examines me thoughtfully, a hand on his chin. After a moment, he smiles and crouches down towards me. My stomach lurches with excitement as he scoops me up in his arms, lifting me up and holding me at his chest. He begins to walk with me held at the back and the legs, like a lady on her wedding night.

"I'll get you fed, little Luro, fear not!" He laughs. His face is so close to mine, I can feel his breath. I flush red and cover my face.

"Sir Rutellan! I'm not... a maiden! I can walk..." My voice seems to have turned into a tiny squeak.

"Ah, your mouth says that, but your body is trembling quite a lot. Have I tired you out this much? Or is it from something else?" He winks at me, and I let out a whimper. He's not wrong... I'm not sure I could walk steadily at this point. We must have trained for half the day. 'From something else?' Is he playing coy?

I'm suddenly and silently thankful to be carried as we begin to ascend a spiral staircase. He holds me in his strong, capable arms for every thumping step, and before I know it we are passing through a door and into a common room. The room is fairly standard for a common room in the castle, used for guests or extra space for guardsmen. The center of the room is dominated by a large trestle table ringed with simple wooden chairs, while one side of the walls is held by a fireplace and a collection of comfortable velvet seats. Only two others are sharing the room with us; a red-scaled drake sitting at the fireplace wearing plain linen clothes, and the other finishing a meal at the table, a fox with a delicate pattern of red and white to his fur. Contrary to the drake, the fox wears a leather vest, albeit with an unfamiliar sigil. Both carry themselves as knights, and they give a respectful nod to Rutellan as we enter.

Gently, he sets me down at the table. "I'll get you something. Wait right here, okay?"

I nod, still flushed, and Rutellan steps out of the room. I glance at the knight across the table, but he has finished eating and his gathering his belongings. He looks over to the knight at the fireplace.

"Hey, Redge, are you ready to go?"

The drake stretches and yawns before sluggishly rising to his feet. "Sure Vix, lessgo."

They both walk past me and towards the door. The fox makes eye contact with me and gives me a funny grin.

"Be careful with Sir Rut. He has an appetite."

I look at him, confused at his words. The fox and his companion both walk out, chuckling as they go.

Moments later, Rutellan returns with a tray of seared meat and an arrangement of chopped vegetables. Enough for two, it seems. Er..._i_f he had an appetite... wouldn't he have brought more?

He sets the tray before me. "Eat up, Luro. You'll feel better." He pats my back before taking a chunk of meat for himself.

I pick at the food, absently pondering over the fox's words and over Rutellan's kindness. I wonder if he would let me train with him every day? But what about after his liege leaves? Would he... let me come with him?

The meat is chewy and rich, slathered with a sweet and spicy sauce, while the vegetables are soft and fresh. Rutellan picks at the tray of food, keeping an eye on me but not saying a word through his mouthfuls of meat and vegetables. He only takes from the tray sparingly, making sure I get my share, but before long we've both had our fill.

Only then does he speak up. "You seem distracted. Are you alright?"

I take a breath, my mind full of thoughts. "I'm okay, just worn out." He simply nods, opting not to press me. After a moment, I continue, "I don't want to impose... don't want to make trouble for myself... but do you think you could... teach me?"

There is a brief, miniscule moment of silence after my words that feels like an eternity.

"I would love to." He smiles, "I can teach you how to fight like a knight, if you can spare the time yourself. You have a duty, don't you?"

"I... I can resign from guard duty if I have to. I want to learn. I want you to teach me how to be a knight." My voice seems to quiver, and I'm suddenly afraid that I sound like I'm begging.

Rutellan just nods at me. He closes his eyes, reflecting on something with a low "Hmm..." He places a hand on my shoulder. "I have thought about this today, but I wasn't sure what you might think, despite what you've said..."

"What do you mean?"

"Luro..." He begins, and my chest tightens in anticipation, "I would like to make you my squire."

My mouth hangs ajar, hardly believing what I'm hearing. This is what I've always wanted, this is what I came here for. This is __my dream, and it might be coming true before my very eyes!

"I... I..." I can hardly form the words to express my gratitude. Rutellan gives me a skeptical look, and I force through. "I can't believe it! I would be honored! A squire... it's been my dream!"

"It would be my honor, Luro."

I lunge at him, wrapping him up in a tight hug. I squeeze him, thanking him over and over, tears coming unbidden from my eyes. It's like a dream, is this really happening?

Before long, he is squeezing me back, and after a few moments I compose myself. I pull away, smiling brightly at him, and he smiles back, looking pleased.

"I want to ask, though..." He begins, and I tilt my head curiously at him, "What drew you to me? To remember me from so long ago..."

I cast my eyes to the floor, remembering that day. Recalling every feeling, every warm sensation. I look up at him, meeting his gaze. The feeling that he drew from he hasn't diminished, despite all this time. He's still the same knight that I met back then, he still makes me feel safe, secure...

Loved? Hmm...

"There's... something about you." I say, my tail beginning to twitch self-consciously as I form the words in my head, "You make me feel so... safe. The way you talk... the things you do." I swallow nervously as I confess these strange feelings. "It's like nothing can hurt me... as long as you're around. I felt it back then, and I feel it now. I never forgot how it felt."

Briefly, his smile fades and his ears fold back. He absorbs my words carefully, nodding slowly with closed eyes. For a frightening moment a part of me in the back of my mind panics, fearing I have told him too much and that the feeling of safety was all an illusion.

He opens his eyes, and slowly, his mouth bends into a wide, toothy smile. "It warms my heart to hear that, Luro." His eyes seem to shimmer and he pauses once again before continuing. "You do me much kindness with your words. Thank you."

His voice is so soft and tender, touched by my sentiment. "I was drawn to you, too." He continues, "You were little, but your eyes were so bright. I could see that you looked up to us, to the knighthood. I was freshly knighted at the time, no older than you are now, and I was unsure about my path. But when I saw you... when I saw what it meant to a little one like you... I knew this was where I belonged."

The words hang in the air for quite some time, the only sound to accompany them being the dying crackles of the fire in the fireplace. I stare at Rutellan, smiling, lost in a trance, my body coasting on a cloud of elation.

"Luro..." He says, before trailing off.

"Sir Rutellan...?"

"There's... something I'd like to share with you..."

I look at him, curiosity blazing through my mind. He glances towards a door on the far end of the room. The other doors in the room lead to common sleeping areas... but that one leads into the sole private bedroom of the common room, meant for captains or delegates, or anyone simply important enough to occupy them.

"If you would... accompany me?" He stands, and offers me a hand. "Only if you're comfortable..."

I can only imagine what he wishes to do... and my imagination runs wild. The desire that has simmered within me all day suddenly burns into an intense flame, a need that calls me, pulls at me, unrelenting. All sorts of interesting fantasies pop into my head, lingering briefly before being dismissed by what remains of my modesty. My heart jumps, thumping rapidly in my ears, and my entire body seems to be tingling with anticipation. I trust him entirely, knowing that he would never hurt me, that he'll take care of me, and that only happiness lies down the path he leads me.

I take his hand.

The private quarters are relatively bare, having only been lived in for a couple of days. A few pieces of clothing are strewn into the corner of the room, accompanied by a large leather pack at the foot of the bed, more stray clothing hanging out of the open flap. The bed has been made recently, although shoddily and full of wrinkles. Holding me just like he did earlier, he gently sets me down onto the soft mattress, and it sags slightly under my weight. He walks out of view for a moment, before returning and looking down at me with a soft expression.

I look up at his body, now free of his armor and swordbelt, leaving only his light linen underclothes. He takes good care of himself - his muscles are apparent through his scales, and he has surprising bulk without his armor. A few scars cover his body, some of claw, others of blade - old white wounds leaving their mark of battles past.

After a moment of both of us appreciating our views, he sheds his linen tunic and bends down towards me with gentle hands. Slowly, he peels away my own tunic, kissing and lapping at my scales as he reveals them to the cool air.

His tongue traces paths across my chest, and I let out a shudder. A hand slides down between my legs, gently stroking and caressing, touching the hardening, twitching flesh slowly emerging from within. Another hand carefully slips off my trousers, making a gentle, electric journey back and forth along my tail before settling between my legs, fingers prodding at my tailhole.

"Oh..." I gasp, my naked body twisting at his touch.

I crane my neck downwards at at Rutellan, relishing in his bare scales and naked form. He is colored a lovely hue of blue, and the blond hair that traces down his back is also present on his front, leading a trail from his chest and down to meet with the long, protruding member between his legs. The pink shaft glistens in the low light of the room, fully hard and impressive, the flesh marked with a collection of ridges and bumps, giving it a complex and enticing shape. A pearl of precum lingers at the tip. My chest tightens and my belly tingles with incredible anticipation at the sight of it.

Rutellan's eyes are like flecks of gold, reflecting what little light they can in the dark room. There is still a kindness in them, but behind that... a thirst. Staring and touching, he drinks in my body, savouring every moment and every caress, but the thirst fades only to reveal a hunger for more. With little effort, he raises my legs up over me, holding them with strong, firm arms, exposing my rear to the air.

"He has an appetite"

My chest tightens. "Oh gods..." I say, breathlessly, "Sir Rutellan, I've never... will it hurt?"

He strokes my face, leaning in close. His breath is hot, and the hunger in his eyes is obvious. "You must relax, little squire." he whispers, "I will go as slow as I am able, but you must not tense up."

I let out a whimper of anticipation.

His snout sinks between my legs, and then lower. A tongue, wet and slick, dashes itself at my tailhole, lapping at the soft scales and prodding into the tender interior. It tingles and tickles, sending a thrill through my body. I lean my head back, gritting my teeth to stop myself from giggling, helplessly squirming from the sensation. The moist appendage wriggles inside me, tasting my innermost places, coating my entrance with a layer of warm saliva. The tuft of hair on Rutellan's head brushes across my fully erect flesh, causing me to quiver and moan through my teeth. The room fills with the sound of my pleasure, and Rutellan chuckles quietly.

Standing over me, he presses his hips into mine, squeezing his cock between our scales against my own modest member. It would be humbling if we were to compare sizes, but thankfully we are much too preoccupied. A drop of precum slides down his shaft, leaving a glistening trail.

"Luro," He whispers, "Are you ready?"

I whimper and nod, trembling with anxious excitement. "Mm-hmm."

Aligning his hips downward, I feel his tip press against my tailhole; softly at first, gently, and then with growing urgency. It presses harder and harder, my puckering hole struggling to hold it back. The pressure builds and builds alongside a growing discomfort. And then, suddenly, the rigid flesh pierces through. Helpless to stop it, I let out a shuddering moan in turn with Rutellan's exhale of pleasure. The warm precum flowing out from the tip of his shaft mixes with the saliva in my rear as it edges further and further inside me. The feeling of the hot, intruding flesh is strange and breathtaking.

His tapered cock spreads my hole wider and wider with every inch that he pushes in. I feel every ridge and detail, every bump and bulging vein pressing against my sensitive insides, and the sensation of pleasure begins to mix with pain.

"Oh... ooh." I whine, tears forming in my eyes.It stings... I've never had anything up there before...

"Hush, little squire. Relax. It will not hurt for long." He strokes my face, cupping his hand under my chin.

He pushes in, holding firm as my tailhole squeezes and struggles to adjust. Just as I think I'm about to reach my limit, he relents. His shaft slowly pulls out from within me, giving me a brief, merciful respite, before he suddenly pushes back in again. The speed at which he does it forces out of me a moan that is nearly a shout. Once more, he pulls out and my tailhole retracts, just to be forced open again. My body writhes, torn between pleasure and pain, until suddenly Rutellan's hips slap against mine, hilting me hard, his shaft throbbing in my rear with every heartbeat.

Rutellan lets out a breath. "Oh... my sweet Luro." he pants, before leaning in to kiss me.

My muzzle, ajar from my moans and short breaths, is easy prey for his eager snout. He nibbles and nips at me, his tongue sliding inside my mouth with reckless purpose, mixing my taste with his. My own tongue lashes out lazily at him, my entire body tensed up from the incredible sensations rolling through me. I can taste his desire, his lust. The feeling of him inside me, of his body against mine, his hands so firm and unyielding... it is unbelievable. Incredible. In this moment of privacy with just him and I, I can feel the hunger inside him, primal and raw, and my own body and mind yearns to feed it.

Rutellan pulls out from me only to slam back in once more, the clap of scale on scale echoing in the room. Without a moments rest, he thrusts into me again, my body writhing and tensing in response to the unique and sublime yet uncomfortable invasion. I moan into his mouth, and he moans into mine, our kissing turning sloppy and clumsy with every further thrust. My tailhole widens and loosens with every pump of his rigid member, and soon he is thrusting in and out of me in a steady, urgent rhythm, his breath getting hotter and heavier in tandem. My tail twitches and thrashes, restless and wild, before lashing upwards between his legs and hooking around his tail, curling tightly around the wagging appendage.

I spread my arms out and grip the edge of the bed, my hands holding tight to the cloth in an effort to keep me in place against Rutellan's vigorous poundings. I cry aloud, my voice shaking with every thump, a stuttering moan that fills the room. I am swept away by the amazing sensation, the feeling of being taken so roughly by someone so tender. Tears flow freely down my face.

The sound in the room is a mixture of my cries and groans, the heavy, desperate panting of Sir Rutellan, and the quiet smacking and slick squelching of our mating. His cock feels so large, it fills me up to the core and pokes at tender, sensitive places inside me, electric bolts of pleasure coursing through my body with every powerful thrust.

The air is warm with our breath, smelling sweetly of the meat of our meal and the heady scent of our mating. Rutellan's eyes are shut tight, opening only briefly and glimmering at me before shutting again. He slides his arms down my body, gripping the small of my back before leaning down, pressing his body down on mine. I wrap my legs around his waist, his cock now pressing at new, unexplored places in my rear. His thrusting picks up in speed, and he begins to grunt and groan in abject pleasure, pressing his snout down on my shoulder. His belly scales rub against my unattended member, adding new shocks to the thunderstorm brewing within me.

Endless euphoria. The pain I had felt at first has faded, leaving only pure, instinctual pleasure. It feels so good, so right. Rutellan thrusts into me, fast, and then faster, pausing only for brief moments. His breath is heavy, his body warm, and his flesh hot inside me. He never stops for long, and always resumes with renewed vigour. Every thrust of his body causes his scales to rub against my shaft, the flesh twitching and throbbing in response.

It doesn't take long for me to tumble head-first over the edge.

"Oh, oh... ohhhhhhh." My body lurches, twisting and writhing on the bed beneath me, sandwiched between the soft bedding and the hard, hot scales of my hungry lover. I grit my teeth, toes curling, helpless and trapped, my entire body exploding in a chorus of ecstasy - an amazing, electric symphony of pleasure with me in the middle. My cock spasms, spilling my seed all over our bellies and down my sides. My insides clench tightly around Rutellan, but he does not hesitate or slow down against my puckering, squeezing tailhole, forcing a twinge of sweet pain into the overwhelming pleasure. My breath is stolen away, and I wrap my arms around him, gripping him firmly to keep me steady in this indescribable sea of euphoria. I rub myself against his belly scales as best as I can between his thrusts into my rear, my cum shooting out in ropes and globs, thick and wet, before falling to a dribble, and then finally coming to a stop, droplets still leaking from the tip.

"Rrrrr... Luro... my squire..." He whispers into my ear, panting.

Rutellan's claws dig into my scales, holding my rump firmly in place as he pounds it. His breathing, heavy and laboured at first, begins to quicken and teeter into outright groans of bliss. He thrusts harder, and then harder, our scales slapping loudly in the night, until he abruptly arches his back and lets out a long, loud growl.

"Rrrraaaahhh!"

He thrusts into me to the hilt, his mouth hanging ajar and eyes shut tight. I feel him pump his seed inside me, shedding his desire in hot, thick pulses. He fills me from within, all while panting and groaning uncontrollably from the ecstasy of release. Straining, he bucks against me, rocking the bed underneath us, my body milking him for every creamy drop. His claws cut shallow marks in my hide as he rides me through his long, sweetly agonizing orgasm. Warmth blooms inside me as his cum settles in my rear, soaking my sore tailhole in hot, sticky fluid.

Just as suddenly as it began, it finishes. Rutellan slumps down, breathing a long, satisfied sigh. His body presses down on me, our bellies slick with my seed, and my insides full of his. The rough and constant motion of our mating has given way to a peculiar stillness, our groans and cries replaced by soft panting.

I can hardly process what just happened; my head swims with sublime, intoxicating afterglow. My legs unwrap from around Rutellan and fall down limp, with my tail uncurling and following suit. His shaft is still buried deep inside me, softening and retreating with every passing moment, leaving behind the slick, slimy mark of his mating.

Whether minutes or hours passed, I could not say. I close my eyes, savouring this time and this warmth, wishing it would never end. I feel Rutellan shifting around, pushing himself upwards and sliding his member out of my tailhole with a wet, audible -pop-. I open my eyes to see him staring at me without saying a word, his eyes shimmering in the darkness.

"That was... incredible..." I hear myself say, my voice muted to my ears.

Rutellan, now looking weary after all his exertion, manages a tired smile. "That took a lot out of me..." He says, stroking my chest with a hand, "But it was quite wonderful."

He rises from the bed and stretches with his back to me, giving me a fantastic view of his tight, toned, eye-catching backside before turning around. Only a couple remaining inches of his member lay drooping between his legs, his seed still glistening on it.

"I hope... that wasn't too tiring for you, Luro."

I prop myself up on my arms, surprised at how much I'm still trembling. "No... but I've never felt anything quite like that... I..."

He looks at me curiously. The feeling inside me, it's gone, but... something is missing.

"I mean... I wouldn't mind... doing it again. If it was okay."

He stares at me thoughtfully, seeming strangely cautious of my words.Does he think I'm just saying this to please him? I should tell him...

"Sir Rutellan..." I say, more confidently. "This felt amazing. I might... need it again sometime."

His eyes flicker with gold, and he grins. "Ahh. You might be like me. You know they call me Sir Rut?"

I tilt my head at him. That's definitely what the fox called him.

"Because I'm always in a rut." he continues," I need to... mate. A lot."

I can't help but laugh aloud. That's what they meant by "an appetite".

He grunts at me. "Yes, it's very amusing... having to tend to the need frequently, lest the urges overwhelm me. Hmph."

His indignation makes me giggle a little more. "Sorry, I just would never have thought..."

He takes a seat next to me on the bed, still naked and still handsome. "It's alright, little squire. If you have the need, and I have the need... we'll be okay, right?"

It's strange, there is a hint of uncertainty to his voice. But... being able to experience all of this again is an exciting thought. "I don't see any problems with it." I nod and grin, sticking my tongue out at him.

"You're a rascal, Luro." He chuckles and gently shoves me back onto the bed, noting the mess on my belly. "You're also messy." He glances down at his own sticky belly. "And so am I... we should get washed up."

He stands up once more, offering a hand to pull me up. My legs are wobbly, and my rump is quite tender. "You also should set some affairs in order if you're going to be my squire. Let the captain of the guard know, gather your things, and so forth. I have things to set in order as well. I'll be in the yard tomorrow afternoon if you need me. We could do a little more practice too."

Rutellan... I think back to my memory with his name and face in mind. He still has his charming kindness... he really hasn't changed much, it seems.

It still seems like a dream. To be a squire... and maybe a knight after all.

---

I walk along the walls of the castle, cleaned up and freshened as best as I could get, now heading towards the guard offices to tender my resignation. I hope they won't think too ill of me for running off so abruptly. Most of my comrades were good folk, and even the guard captain, despite his temper, could be as joyous and energetic as a drake half his age. I kept away from the few obvious bad apples that came along, so I have mostly good memories of my relatively brief time as a guardsman.

I clutch my sword in my hand, the mark of my station, the blade tucked securely in its scabbard. The sigil of the duchy on the pommel is the only intricate thing about it, the handle and blade otherwise mundane, but... it was mine. With this sword in hand, I felt one step closer to my dream. I could raise it to defend the innocent and defeat the wicked... just like I had dreamed as a child. But I have to turn it in, now. To follow the path of my dream, I suppose I will have to leave some things behind...

Earlier in the day, I would have just gone to the office in the main guardhouse above the inner doors of the castle, where most of the guards reside and receive their orders. But it's late now... Commander Raaik will be in his quarters in the keep itself. My path takes me around the courtyard and along the rear of the fortress, where I pass above the castle garden.

I freeze in my steps. There is a figure in the garden, all too familiar. I had completely forgotten that Asterius wanted to see me. He sits in the garden alone against the fading light of the evening. A knot of shame and anxiety fills the pit of my stomach.

It's late... but I can still spend time with him.

Sliding my sword back into my swordbelt, I trudge down a set steps leading to the ground floor, making my way to where Asterius waits. The halls of the castle are cold and quiet as I step outside once more and follow a short cobblestone path leading to the garden.

I hope he wasn't waiting for me all day...

My tail begins to twitch. The final rays of sunlight paint bright streaks on the castle, having broken through the stubborn cloud cover of the day, but in the span of another breath the light is gone. The drab, dark blue twilight it leaves behind is a little unsettling. The walls of the castle stretch upwards, reaching past my head but stopping just short of the horizon. The edge of the escaping sun sinks fully behind the snow-capped mountains far in the distance, darkening the world and leaving only milky white clouds in its wake.

I take a deep breath before stepping into the garden. Trees of all kinds dot the courtyard with leaves of many shapes and sizes, some flowering and some bare. Patches of tulips, sunflowers, and roses flank the cobblestone path; the many flowers in the garden fill my nose with a strong, rich scent, as mixed and diverse as the colors they show. Asterius sits on a bench only a few feet away along the path.

He notices me right away, turning his head towards me. He doesn't smile, but his eyes light up a little. I can't help but look a little guilty, but I try to smile it off.

"Luro." Asterius says, nodding at me.

"Hi, Asty." I say, taking a couple hesitant steps towards him, carefully judging if he's mad at me or not.

"I should have clarified when I wanted you to come." He says, looking to the horizon. "I would have liked to watch the sunset."

I wince a little, but lighten up at his calm tone. "Sorry... I should have found you earlier."

He shakes his head and gives me a little smile. "It's alright." He pats the bench he's sitting on, motioning me to sit. I do, though my tail continues to rebel, rustling leaves as it taps and rubs the stone beneath us.

A moment of silence passes. The wind sighs through the garden; a cool nightly breeze. Out of the corner of my eye I glimpse a torch-bearing guard walking along the battlements above before they disappear into a tower.

I look sideways at Asterius. He is peering into the gardens, deep in thought. I think back on the night before, of the warm moments we shared and the affection he showed as he opened up to me. It really is a shame that he's been put into his position, forced to grow up so suddenly, even with Neiru to help him. Underneath his aloof exterior, he's vulnerable, scared, looking for solace in someone. It all seems so obvious, so easy to read. I see it in his eyes and his body and his words, as plain as day. I wish I could help him with some of this burden.

Almost as if he knew I was thinking about him, he places his hand onto mine.

"Luro." He says, his voice quiet. He looks away, but continues. "I know we haven't been friends for long, and..."

He pauses and glances at me before looking away again. His voice is low and even. "And... maybe I've asked a lot of you in a short time..."

There is a pause.

He shuffles in his seat, seemingly anxious about his next words. "I..."

I grip his hand, trying to give him courage to say what he's trying to say. He looks at me, his eyes shimmering. "I like you, Luro. M-maybe... love... but... but..."

This is hard for him to say. Did Neiru tell him to say this? Or - wait... love? He... he loves me.

"If you ever feel... different, or... worse... about me. You don't have to... feel trapped. I don't want you to be scared of what I might do."

He's... such a soft-hearted drake. With the things I've heard of Asterius the First, it's a little ironic that his son seems so gentle. How little time did they spend together that the son takes so little after the father?

Asterius turns away and rubs his eyes. No sobs heard, no tears shed. He puts on a strong front, as always. But... I can see... I can see through his mask, see his emotions, no matter how guarded they are. He is doing this for me, in case I am hiding my fear, or afraid to tell him my true feelings.

He is letting me go, in case I want to fly away.

... do I want to?

I could walk away. I have Rutellan. He will take me as his squire, I could go with him back to his land-share and train to be a knight. It's what I wanted, and it's what I said I was going to do. It's still what I want, right? I want to be a knight. Is going with Rutellan the only path?

Or is it only the easiest?

My heart goes out to Asterius. He needs me. It seems obvious now. And yet, he is here, telling me that I could go. He's trying to put on a tough face so that I wouldn't feel like I'm abandoning him in his time of need. Just like with his rule as duke, he does what he knows he must do, not what he wants. It's admirable and inspiring to see such sacrifice, but I see the sad truth of it, and how painful it must be for him to be shackled to his duty.

It's not my problem. I can go, and put this all behind me. A curious fling with a desperate duke. A story to tell, an amusing memory.

And... and yet...

I... I can't.

I can't do it, I can't turn my back on him. To discard his feelings for my own sake. To shrug him off and walk away. I can't betray him like that. I swore an oath.

But even without the oath...

I would stay by him. Do I feel the same things for him that he feels for me? I don't know... I can't make sense of it. Every time I think about it, my thoughts seem to cloud with doubts and second-guesses. Do I care for him? Do I love him? I... I don't know. Do I?

With Rutellan, it feels more simple. I am drawn to him because he makes me feel safe, because he will look out for me. And now also because he has given me passion and pleasure like I've never felt before. But... while my mind and my body both draw me to Rutellan...

It's my heart that draws me to Asterius.

"Aster..." I begin, swallowing hard. "I don't know what I really feel."

My tail seems to calm a little and I take it with a hand, stroking the scaly appendage to soothe myself.

"It's all happened fairly quickly..." I pause, shaping my next words in my mind.

Asterius silently gazes at the ground; the dread he is feeling is palpable.

"Our night together..." I continue, "I wouldn't have imagined it'd have progressed like that... and ended with us... in bed, together."

Asterius's eyes shimmer again and he squeezes them shut, making no effort to stop the tears from slipping down his face.

I squeeze his hand and turn to face him. "But I'm not afraid, and I don't regret anything. I want us to have more nights like that. I want to see that side of you more often. I want you to feel free to be happy once in a while. I can see... I can feel your pain, Asterius. I want to help."

My heart is thumping rapidly, pounding in my ears. I suddenly realize I am blushing, my face flushed warm and red. My thoughts of Rutellan and knighthood are far in the back of my mind. I speak from the heart, and the words seem to tumble out.

"I want to stay by you, I don't want to leave. I want us... to be side by side."

As master and servant, as friends, or as lovers... the details seem so irrelevant.

Asterius pushes into me suddenly and abruptly, wrapping me in a tight embrace. I nearly lose my balance and fall off the bench. He holds me firmly, his snout tucked into my neck. I feel his breathing, hot and rapid against my scales.

I slide my arms around him, squeezing him gently and resting my chin on his shoulder. I close my eyes, losing myself in the warm, quiet moment, with only Asterius's short breaths as the only sound to accompany the soft wind rustling in the trees around us.

"Thank you, Luro." He whispers breathlessly, stifling a sob with every breath. "Thank you."

Darkness grows around us as night falls. As I sit there with my eyes closed, holding and being held by the young duke, my mind floats along, wandering.

What am I going to do about Rutellan? What about my dream? I can't leave Asterius... would Rutellan stay here?

No... he has a duty to his own lord. I have to make a choice...

It seems like an eternity passes. Asterius sniffles loudly, and pulls away from the embrace. He is smiling broadly, his face shining with tears.

"I'm sorry, Luro. I want to be strong, like my father, like a proper duke." He leans in and squeezes me once more before letting go. "But I need you. I'm glad you didn't run away."

I smile back at him. "I did swear an oath to you, after all."

"Heh." He says, still sniffling. "But that's not what's keeping you here, is it?"

I shake my head. "I'm not one to break my promises... but I didn't say all that just because of some stuffy oath."

He chuckles a little. "Maybe I should stop worrying about it, then."

I let my tail fall to the ground, the rebellious appendage having finally calmed. It rests along the floor for only a brief moment before the silvery tip of Asterius's tail wanders over and curls lightly around it.

He sniffs and rubs his eyes. "This has always been so hard. I don't think I'm cut out to be a duke. Even with Neiru helping me, I can't seem to do it right. The nobles seem to hate me so much. Why are they so awful?"

I wrap an arm around his shoulders and pat him reassuringly. Words of encouragement come strangely easy. "You are strong, Aster. I know it's hard not to doubt yourself."

He sighs. "I don't really want to do this anymore. Last night with you really showed me... I am tired of this, I just want to read and play and... have fun with a friend. To be free to spend time with people I like."

That would be nice, wouldn't it, the simple life? How would he live, though? From a duke to a peasant, would he survive? The thought amuses me and I can't help but grin.

A moment passes. Asterius's green eyes flicker in the dim light. The inky blackness of a moonless sky surrounds us in the secluded garden, the night silent apart from our voices and the wind. It feels like Asterius and I are the only ones in the world right now.

"I would like to just... leave. Give them the duchy." He swallows, his voice somber. "Neiru says they wouldn't let me go. I have the rightful claim, even if I left. They would worry that I could come back at any time and enforce it. For as long as I live."

"Can't you just renounce your claim? Make it official?"

He leans back. "Yeah, kind of. I could say all sorts of things officially. I think they're paranoid that I would just ignore it after a while. It would be easy to paint myself as the proper duke and them as usurpers. Laws only go as far as people willing to follow them."

I nod. An uncomfortable truth, I guess. Asterius continues.

"But with the nobles against me and the peasantry with me, Neiru says there's no winning for either side. They're equal parts of a realm, if they turn against each other..."

"Would taking you... out of the picture really end up any better? Can you just appease them?"

"They each want impossible things. More power for them, less for other nobles. Special status, more independence, larger household levies, less taxes, less duchy oversight. They want to be unshackled from me - from the laws of the duke. If I gave them everything they wanted, the entire realm would break apart. It seems so many of my subordinate lords see their duty to the duchy as an unworthy chore."

He closes his eyes a moment. "It would be easy to brush things off as an accident... even if people suspect otherwise." He opens his eyes and looks out at the starless sky. "My father was assassinated, and... it seemed like nobody cared. Nobody shed a tear. Maybe they were glad to be rid of him."

I remember hearing when Asterius the First had died, but details were scarce. "They say he died of sudden sickness. Was he really assassinated?"

"He was strong. Healthy. He seemed to never get sick. And then one day... that was it. I woke up one day and there was a crowd at the door to his bedchambers. 'No visible wounds' I remember the medicant saying, but my father's blood had turned a peculiar color; a deep violet." Asterius sighs. "He would have lived for quite a while, I think. I would have grown up without all this... burden."

He wraps an arm around my waist and leans his head on my shoulder. I stretch an arm out to hold him close.

The night passes in silence, apart from the soft rustling of the wind through the trees. My eyelids begin to droop, and before I know it I slip off into a doze, my cheek resting on Asterius's head.

Shapes and figures waft through my half-conscious vision. Clouds, stars, the sun and the moon, cloaked in mist. I see Rutellan, smiling and looking gallant. A moment later, he is naked, his pink member hard and enticing. In the next moment, he is gone. Faces, places, and people flash across my mind as my consciousness wanders. Rengly Jax appears amidst an ethereal forest, the fox looking calm one moment and sinister the next. He bears his teeth at me, his daggers in his hands, the blades deadly extensions of his body. A bolt of lightning flashes. His face stays pulled up in a snarl as bloody tears stream out of his eyes and color his fur a sickly red. Then, he is gone.

Asterius is the next one for my mind to focus on. Though, it isn't quite Asterius... his face is rougher, his expression harsh, his jagged horns curving into wicked points. I never saw Asterius the First face-to-face, so this must be what I imagine him to look like. He wears a wide, menacing grin, his teeth sharp and gleaming. He roars with laughter, and fades from sight. In his place comes the smiling face of the son. Bright eyed and shiny-scaled, he looks at me with a warm-hearted expression. I feel his love, his gentle soul. Compelled by something, I lean in to kiss him, but the warmth radiating from him suddenly becomes hot and I pull back in alarm. He burns, his figure suddenly surrounded by fire, his face still smiling. His eyes, green and glowing amidst the fire, cry out to me, but he never drops his smile, even as his scales melt away before my eyes, leaving only bone. The mouth of his skull opens up in a silent scream.

I jolt awake, looking around in a panic, but seeing only the inky darkness of the garden around me. My breath comes in short gasps as I wrangle with what I just saw. Asterius sits up and looks at me, worried.

"What's wrong? Your heart is pounding."

I squeeze my hand, finding Asterius's fingers entwined with mine. I take a breath, trying to calm myself.

"It's nothing, I just had a bad dream."

"Falling asleep, hmm? Maybe it's time for us to go to bed."

He rises from the bench and stretches with a groan. Turning back to me, he offers his hand.

"Will you come to bed with me?"

I shouldn't... I have to see the Commander in the morning, and then Rutellan...

I turn away. "I'd better go to my quarters."

"Oh..." He sounds dejected. "I see."

I take a step away, but then something stops me. No. This is silly. I want to spend the night with him. Why am I walking away?

I turn back around to see Asterius looking at me with a frown.

"Actually, I'll take you up on that offer. If you'll have me after that slight."

I step forward and reach my hand out. Asterius's eyes light up and his face pulls into a soft grin. Leaning towards me to take my hand, he takes an extra step and lands a kiss on my snout. We both blush and shuffle our feet for a moment.

He slips his hand into mine and pulls me along, taking me up the steps leading into the castle and towards his solar. The castle is silent and still, flickering torches lighting the way, crackling softly as we pass. Our footsteps echo in the halls, the sound following up the spiral staircase as we ascend to the top floor of the keep.

Before long, we are in the solar, the sight of it bringing back warm memories and warmer feelings.

Asterius decides to read for a little bit before going to sleep, so I stay up with him. He reads out some parts that he likes, as well as sharing his thoughts aloud as he flips through the pages of a hardcover book.

At first, he was content to sit at his desk, sorting through books and picking out a select few. He reads through them, chatting and muttering aloud, both to me and himself. After a few minutes of this, he grabs one and rushes over to where I'm lounging on a cushion, plopping himself down next to me and cuddling up. He is warm, as always, and I give him a squeeze and a smile.

He opens the book and leafs through the pages, finding where he left off. I try to follow along, reading beside him, but he's in the middle of the story and I can't quite grasp the plot.

"I wonder if he'll ever reconcile with his brother." He murmurs to himself, and then absently adds: "I wonder what it's like to have a brother."

I stretch and yawn. "Like having a friend around all the time, maybe? I'm an only child too, so I dunno."

He glances at me and grins. "We could be brothers."

I let out a little laugh. "I don't think brothers are supposed to do what we do."

"What we do?" He raises an eyebrow and grins, his eyes glinting. "Ohh, you mean..."

He reaches a hand down my trousers, right between my legs. Searching fingers poke and prod my scales, seeking out my slit and the succulent meat hidden inside. They find their target, and a digit slips in, rubbing at the soft, tender flesh tucked away. I quiver and gasp aloud.

"Aahh..." My breath hisses between my teeth, "Yeah... that."

"Heh." Asterius says with a wink.

A nub of mottled flesh pokes out from between my legs, coerced by Asterius's touch. I lean my head back and let the pleasure wash over me. He grips and squeezes me, drawing more and more of my penis out from its hiding place. Soon enough, I am fully hard and erect, a shiny pink and black spear poking upwards into the air. Asterius pulls his hand away and admires his handiwork.

"Is... is that all?" I ask him, trying to tease him, but as flush with arousal as I suddenly am, it sounds more like a plea.

"There is something I want to try." He says, crawling over to my lap and unfastening his clothing. He shrugs off his tunic and then clumsily but adorably pulls off his pants, flopping on his rump and kicking them away. His figure, bare in the night, just like our first time, stirs me enough to cause me to groan. A tiny speck of precum forms at the tip of my penis.

Asterius peers at my member, examining it. He glides a hand up and down the length of it and then squeezes it, seemingly measuring the size and girth. I squirm a little, laughing nervously.

"W-what are you doing?"

"You'll see."

Without warning, Asterius's snout dives downwards, rubbing his nose against me and inhaling a lungful of my scent before taking my entire length in his mouth. I let out a moan, my claws gripping the cushion underneath me. I buck upwards into his snout inadvertently, bumping his nose, but Asterius presses on without so much as a flinch. His tongue laps and swirls around my sensitive cock, my precum flowing freely into his mouth. Ceaselessly, he slurps and suckles at me while I writhe in helpless pleasure.

As abruptly as he began, he stops, pulling his head away from between my legs. My cock throbs, the air now cold on the flesh from the thick layer of saliva covering it. Asterius shuffles upwards and straddles my hips, lining himself up with the tip of my member. His own member pokes upwards from his scales, the maroon flesh firm and rigid, bouncing with every motion. I realize now what he wants to do.

"Are you sure?" I ask, concerned but curious.

He nods, though I can feel him trembling.

"Take it slow..."

Gingerly, he lowers himself onto me. Unaided, my shaft errantly pokes and presses at the scales under his tail, sending a twitch through me when I brush against the rough wrinkles where his tail meets his backside. After a moment of this clumsy work, he takes me into a hand to guide me.

My tip touches a patch of softer scales, and then a delicate, puckering hole. He rubs and squeezes me against his entrance, the saliva and my precum mixing and spreading onto it with a soft, slick sound. Soon, he holds my member pointed right at his tailhole, and takes a quivering breath.

"Are you ready?" I ask.

"I should... be asking you that." He whispers back before giving me a short nod.

I tense up, gritting my teeth. He lowers himself, gently, pressing my tip against his tailhole. The pressure builds, and at first it feels like it simply won't go in. He lowers himself further and presses down, harder and harder, before raising himself again. His breath is coming in short gasps, and I hear him squeak with every attempt. I slide my hands up his thighs, and to his rump. I rub his scales reassuringly and then grip him, my fingers digging into his rump-cheeks.

"It won't work." Asterius whines, trembling.

"Keep going." I say, squeezing him.

Once more, he lowers himself onto me. My eager, yearning member cries out for a mate; it twitches and throbs as it presses against the stubborn tailhole, and every touch, every brush of flesh against flesh is a twinge of pleasure arcing through me. Gripping his rump, I press Asterius down on me, gently at first, and then firmly. He squeaks and whines as the pressure builds on his hole, and he looks just about to pull away... but I hold him firm and without hesitating, thrust my hips upwards with a grunt.

My flesh pierces through, sinking deeply inside Asterius and leaving only a few inches to spare. Asterius shouts, his body shaking and tensing, and then he slumps roughly down onto my chest, whimpering softly. The feeling of being buried inside him... it's wonderfully warm, soft, and snug. I feel his heartbeat pounding. He huffs into my chest scales, his breathing hot and shallow.

"That was... mean." He whimpers.

I take my hands away from his rump, bringing them up to stroke his head and along his horns. "Sorry... does it hurt?"

"A little... I just need a minute."

I drag a hand down along his back, gently stroking his scales, his body rising and falling with each breath. His tailhole puckers and squeezes, straining against the turgid flesh embedded inside, and every so often he squirms on top of me as he struggles to adjust.

Minutes seem to pass with our bodies entwined. His breath slows, the grimace of pain fading from his face. I stretch an arm to stroke the base of his tail, the thick appendage raised upwards awkwardly to make room for our mating. It twitches and then sways, dipping downwards to brush around mine.

"Alright... I'm ready."

Asterius looks up at me from his resting spot on my chest. I smile at him, wrapping my arms around him and pulling him close. Gently, we kiss, our lips meeting and parting to nipple and nip each other. His breath, his scent, it perforates the air around me and I relish the sweet smell of it. Gone is our initial nervousness from before, our hesitant explorations from budding curiosity. Now, it is passion, unhindered and true.

Gently, I thrust my hips upwards, holding his body in my arms. I hear him suck in air through gritted teeth, still struggling to adjust to the feeling. Slowly and steadily, I slide myself in and out from his rear, pushing inwards to bump our scales together and then pulling out to the tip. He grunts and yips into my chest every time I spread his tailhole wide, his trembling arms holding tight to me.

So gentle, so sweet. I'll take care of you, Aster.

So focused I am on Asterius's pain and pleasure, I lose track of my own desires. With a jolt of my body, they return in force. I let out a growling moan, pushing myself into Asterius with a bump.

"Ah!" He yelps, huffing and puffing with his face scrunched up in a wince.

"Aster..." I whisper, my hands stroking along his back.

"K-keep going..." He whimpers.

Gladly.

Mirroring Rutellan's actions from earlier, I pull out nearly all the way, teasing Asterius's entrance with the slimy tip of my cock, and then I slam it back in, spreading his tailhole wide. He shouts and grips me, his claws digging marks into my scales. But he doesn't complain, nor does he tell me to stop. He holds himself steady and tight against my body, his face digging into my chest.

He wants this. Wants it quite a lot.

Once more, I thrust out and then in to Asterius's rump. Once more, he yelps and squeezes me. And then again, and again, the actions repeat themselves. Every time, Asterius gets a little more loose, and squeaks a little less, and I groan a little louder. My head swims with pleasure; I lean my head back and let my tongue loll out as I continue the motions, losing myself in the incredible sensation. His insides are tight, warm, and wet with our fluids.

Asterius stirs, and then pushes himself up with his arms. Awkwardly, he rises up back to his straddling position over me. In the process, he impales himself to the hilt, and I let out a lusty groan.

"M-my turn..." He says, wiggling his butt with me still buried inside. I roll my head back, my body tensing up momentarily from the stimulation.

He raises himself upwards and then drops downwards, hilting himself again. I can feel a shudder roll through his body, the deepest reaches of him squeezing around me, burning with previously untouched heat. And then he pulls up and down again, pausing once he impales himself another time. He lets out a sharp gasp, followed by a shudder. His cock, freely dripping with pre, looks about to explode. But Asterius continues, seemingly heedless to his need, cock dangling with every bounce and flicking pre onto my belly. Every time he hilts himself, he shudders and lets out a breathless moan.

"You look like you're enjoying this." I huff, struggling mightily against my own rapidly approaching orgasm.

"E-every time... you hit this spot inside me." His voice is a whimper, barely holding itself together under the sensations he finds himself feeling. His hands are firmly placed on my thighs, using them as support as he elevates himself with his legs. He is flushed bright red, both in face and in loins, his burning arousal plain on his entire body, the red color glowing starkly against his silvery scales.

No hands free? I'll help with that.

I bring a hand up to Asterius's thick, dangling member, still pouring out a steady stream of precum. I grip it at the base, squeezing and dragging my hand up to the tip, feeling every curve and ridge along the way. A thick dollop of white fluid flows out and onto my fingers.

"Ah! Ohhh..." Asterius squirms and huffs rapidly at my touch, his toes curling.

He's right on the edge...

Asterius forces a grunt out of me as he slams himself onto my shaft again. Sweet, agonizing pleasure, building to a crescendo. My body coils up tightly, straining against the sweet, rushing feeling, only barely keeping it at bay.

So am I...

I bend upwards, sliding my arms around Asterius and cradling him. He looks at me with pleading eyes, as if he were asking me to finish this. A request I am more than happy to oblige, for the both of us.

Pushing forwards, I lay Asterius down on the floor, on top of the cushion. I lean over him, our lips meeting once more, our tongues slipping around one other, wet and clumsy. Reaching down, I push his legs up, my shaft still embedded into his tailhole. The motion and friction on our tender body parts from our movements causes my breath to catch in my throat, my cock swelling inside him with a dire need to release.

From this new position, I have an easy time thrusting into Asterius. He lays willing and helpless under me, and I take on the task of guiding us both along to the end.

I begin slowly, rocking in and out of Asterius, relishing the sublime sensation and the feeling of him underneath me, whimpering and moaning. As my body trembles and tenses from the feeling of his warm rump, I start to pick up speed. With every slap of our hips, Asterius yips, I grunt, and we both struggle to hang on, not wanting to end this whirlwind of euphoria.

Asterius's member flops around with each of my thrusts. I slide a hand down to take his shaft into my hands, only to meet the squeezing digits of his own hand. Together, we stroke him, our fingers working in unison, poking and squeezing and stroking, until...

Asterius arches his back, his tongue falling out of his mouth as he pants wildly and erratically. "Hah! Hah! Ah! Aaahhnnnnn!"

His body twists and coils as he is viciously rocked with the most powerful blasts of pleasure he has likely ever felt. Thick globs of cum shoot out from his cock, the flesh throbbing urgently in our hands as we squeeze and stroke it along. Milky white fluid flies up to splash on Asterius's muzzle, snout, and tongue, but he can hardly react to it, his eyes rolled upwards and his mouth stuck ajar in a loud, shuddering moan. The rest of his seed flows out onto his belly scales, quivering with every short, breathless gasp. Every pulse of his member causes his body to squeeze down on my own, and I find myself biting my lip in a vain attempt to postpone the inevitable.

"Ast- oh gods... oh gods..." I gasp, thrusting into him as fast as I can. My claws dig into his scales, leaving my own marks to match the scratches in mine. Only a scant few seconds after his display, I follow suit.

"Ohhh gawwwwds." My face pulls into a grimace and I bite my lip so hard that it bleeds, but there is no holding back the tide.

I slam hard into Asterius, causing him to yelp one last time. My tongue dangles out from my mouth as I moan and groan, my member throbbing inside his tight, warm rump as it coats everything within with my seed. I buck and thrust roughly forward, overwhelmed by the powerful ecstasy of my orgasm, my body desperately trying to see it through to completion. I feel the warmth of my fluids adding to the heat of Asterius's sweet insides, the creamy liquid surrounding my cock and filling him up to the brim.

I pump and thrust, wrapped in sublime, incredible pleasure, my breath ragged and voice hoarse.

I plop down onto Asterius, panting heavily, still bucking into him as the last vestiges of my orgasm fade along with the last few droplets dribbling into his rear. The room is filled with the strong scent of dragon mating and semen; a thick, intoxicating smell, a treat to my nostrils.

Asterius, his face flushed bright red, dips his head down to nuzzle me. He ignores the sticky fluid stuck on his face and ends up smearing me with a warm helping of it.

"Hey, you're messy." I mumble in complaint, licking at his dripping snout with a dreamy grin.

"Mmm..." He hums, returning my licks, his face bright and beaming.

---

I wring my hands, standing at the back door to the guardhouse. The entrance is little-used, cramped and devoid of traffic, with only small arrow slits with which to peer out into the courtyard and along the gate outside. The sun beams through the tiny lines in the stone, illuminating the stuffy hallway with rays of floating dust.

Do I still want to do this?

I pace back and forth, alternating between wringing my hands and gripping the hilt of my sword.

Just go in and talk to the Commander. Maybe he won't let me go. Then I wouldn't have to decide.

Taking a breath, I place a hand on the door handle, gently pushing it open. Before I can step inside, I hear voices from out of sight, raised and urgent.

"Commander, they're not supposed to gather yet, are they? And especially not outside the gates."

Commander Raaik responds with a voice full of authority and devoid of patience. "They are here for the tournament. I will not hear any more of this, Guard Yaris. Return to your post."

Yaris looks at the Commander with an expression of disbelief before his face hardens. "Yes, Commander."

I take a step backwards into the hall, wondering just what they are talking about. I have little time to ponder this as Yaris walks out of the room and almost directly into me. He stops and looks me over before closing the door behind him, leaving us alone in the hall.

"Luro, what are you doing here?"

"Erm... I wanted to see the Commander."

"Something's fishy with him." He whispers, glancing back towards the door. "I thought we were supposed to keep an eye out for any odd activities from the nobles, to keep the duke safe, yeah? But when I reported a disturbance outside, he wouldn't listen."

"A disturbance?"

Yaris nods, his mouth tight and his eyes grim. "Yeah, lotta of knights out there, and a few lords."

The Commander is right about there being a tournament, but I didn't think it was supposed to be today.

"Maybe they really are here for the tournament?" My words sound feeble, and I begin to feel anxious.

Yaris shakes his head. "I don't think so... they had their weapons with them. Looked like they were going to approach the castle."

"Who was with them? You said there were lords?"

"They had a couple different sigils. Far as I could see, it looked like Ghent's, Perkan's, and Carrock's men."

_A gathering like that, approaching the gate in arms?_My budding anxiety blooms rapidly into alarm.

Yaris sighs. "It feels like something is happening here... but I dunno know what to do. The Commander doesn't seem concerned. Am I wrong about this, Luro?"

I look straight at him, gripping him on the shoulder. "No, Yaris. I think you're on to something. Regardless of what the Commander thinks, we should do something. Just in case."

He looks at me with a mixture of relief and fear. "Yeah, just in case. But what? The Commander will have my head if I do anything now."

I peer out of an arrow slit, trying to check if anything is happening outside. I can hardly see anything other than grass and a sky beginning to cloud over.

"Just keep alert. If they come towards the castle, try to gather as many guardsman as possible to watch over the gate. That's all I can think of."

Yaris nods. "I'm posted on the southwestern wall. I'll have a good view if they do anything. What are you gonna do? Are you gonna tell the duke?"

I nod, trying my best to grin despite the panic roiling inside me. "I'm the duke's friend, remember? He'll listen to his future lord."

Yaris laughs; an uncomfortable, nervous laugh, but I can tell it put him a little more at ease.

I leave Yaris and the guardhouse, swiftly descending a staircase and entering the courtyard from a secluded corner. The yard is completely empty... apart from a single person.

Rutellan.

He spots me immediately, as if he was looking for me. With urgent strides, he approaches me, glancing furtively around the yard before pulling me close.

"Something is happening, Squire Luro. This may be our only chance."

His grip is rough and tight and starts to hurt. "Ow... what do you mean?"

"Come with me. We'll leave the castle together. Neither of us need take part in what is about to unfold." His voice is low, he sounds almost scared.

I squirm nervously in his grip, pain lancing through me. "Sir Rutellan, I..."

"Please, Luro. Let's go. Please." His eyes shimmer. He looks on the verge of crying. "I can't lose another squire. Not again."

Another squire? "Rutellan, you're hurting me."

"Ah! I'm sorry." Abruptly, he releases me. I take a half-step backwards, rubbing my arm. He looks at me with pleading eyes. "Before they come, we can leave through the gate. I'll take you back to Suseri Keep. You can be my squire, and I'll be your knight."

He knows what is going to happen. He's a knight of Lord Perkan, who is one of the lords causing the disturbance outside. He might have been privy to this plan for a while.

The thought of leaving and going to the countryside with Rutellan, to live with him in his family keep and to be trained in the codes of chivalry, honor, and knightly combat... it's a very pleasing, relaxing thought. A life I had always wished to live. Yet while my mind and body pull me towards that path, my heart pulls me towards another.

And the heart proves stronger.

I... I can't leave Asterius.

Rutellan... I'm sorry.

I look Rutellan square in the eyes. "Sir Rutellan. I have to see the duke. I have to protect him."

A look of defeat and disbelief crawls over his face. "Luro, no. You resigned from the guard, didn't you?"

I squeeze the hilt of my sword, the mark of my station. His eyes glance down at it before looking back up with a sad, resigned expression.

"I see... I... I understand."

One of the tenets of knighthood is to value duty and honor above all else. Knights are sworn to serve their master as well as to protect their people, both the common folk and the servants of their lord. They are meant to bring honor and value to a world sometimes sorely lacking in it. Many knights shirk this duty; many knights become knights for the power and status that comes with it, with duty and honor coming second.

But Rutellan understands. To ask me to turn my back on my duke is to betray the ideals we both hold dear. Such a selfish decision does not befit any who would call themselves a knight.

"I wish you luck, Guard Luro."

He grabs me, plunging his snout into mine to envelop me in a deep, brief kiss. His scent and his breath are dizzying. Just as my breath is stolen away, he pulls back and makes for the gate without another word. I could see tears in his eyes.

The castle keep is surprisingly empty as I dash through the halls, my claws leaving marks in the ornate carpet covering the stone. Entering the meeting room, I spot Neiru at the table alone, reading over some documents.

"Lady Neiru, where is Asterius?"

She looks up at me with a strange expression, something between sadness and relief. "He is in his solar."

"Something is happening-"

"I know." She rises from her seat, "This was inevitable. I lament that I could not stop it."

"You mean..."

She closes her eyes. "The lords have gathered and are going to seize the throne. They will imprison Asterius, if they do not kill him outright."

This can't be happening. Why now? Why so soon?

"W-what... what do we do?"

She sighs, slowly pacing over to me. "We will each do what we have to do. We are alone, friendless. Hoyt's neutrality has been bought, and Ietri has been drawn away from the castle. Commander Raaik himself has turned against us, so few of the guard will come to our aid. Despite my efforts, the worst has come to pass."

Standing next to me, she looks me over, like she always does. "You have proven to be the sun that Asterius sorely needed to banish his darkness. He loves you, dearly. But do you love him in return, Luro?"

The question seems heavy, but I think I've known the answer for some time now.

I can hardly imagine a world without Asterius. I want to be with him right now, to be with him forever, to keep him safe and make him happy. I want to see him smile and laugh, play games, tease and tussle. I don't want Asterius the Duke any more than he does. I want Asterius the drake.

The truth of my feelings seems to come forth like the breaking of a dam, drawn out by my panic and fear and hope.

I want to kiss him, I want to touch him. I want us to love each other for the rest of our lives. My heart cries out with yearning.

"I do. I love him."

She gazes at me carefully as I speak the words. A tense moment hangs in the air as Neiru judges them, her grey eyes betraying no emotion.

She turns her mouth up into a smile. "Then you must go to him. But before you go..."

She walks towards the center of the room. In the distance, faintly, I can hear a commotion.

"I have a secret I must confess. A secret few others know of. Not even Asterius."

She spreads her arms wide and takes a breath. The room suddenly surges with static electricity, causing every brush of fabric to zap me painfully. Neiru's eyes begin to glow.

"Years ago, the duchess of this land, Lady Persa, took ill. The duke, Asterius the First, was displeased to hear this. They had not yet begotten a child, and his lady, in her sickened state, refused his advances."

The sound of the commotion is clearer now. Steel on steel, and shouting. And coming closer.

"Rather than attempt to cure her or wait for her to recover, Asterius took a concubine. A young journeyman mage, serving the court to expand her skills. Unfortunately for Lady Persa, this concubine became thick with child almost immediately. But Asterius was pleased."

Neiru's eyes flare with brilliance, burning bright blue.

"To avoid losing legitimacy, the child was presented as the son of Asterius and Persa. Persa perished from her illness, taking with her the knowledge that the child was the child of a concubine. That left only the mage and Asterius himself knowing the truth, and they lived on as master and servant, court mage and duke, always keeping their secret close."

Neiru's robes flow as currents of magic wrap around her. Her scales seem to crackle with power, thin bolts of lightning silently coursing over them. The sounds of battle outside begin to dim, replaced by booted footsteps approaching the door.

"I have remained here, serving the duchy for many long years, because I love the child, as I loved his father. I will serve until the end of my life, because they are my family. I have raised Asterius the Second as a mother would, preparing him for the harsh realities of the world and the grim responsibility of his position. Perhaps I have failed, or perhaps circumstance simply conspires against us, but I refuse to see my son slain for the ambitions of small, petty lordlings. For as long as I live and breathe, I will fight."

Her voice, quiet until now, begins to raise in volume. The doors of the room slam open and several armor clad knights barge in, weapons flashing.

"Go, Luro. Go to him. Leave this place and help him find the life he deserves to live. The life I couldn't give him."

She turns towards me with sad eyes, but a bright smile, before turning back towards the knights."

"Lady Neiru!" A voice I almost don't recognize. Lord Ghent, standing behind his gathering of traitorous knights, bellows at Neiru. "Do you intend to throw your life away for that boy? There are hundreds of us throughout the castle already, you cannot stop us all."

Neiru stands up straight, her arms thrown out in a smooth motion, tracing lines in the air. "Lord Ghent. It is brave of you to walk among your men as you collectively cast aside your vows. I lament that such bravery will cost you your life."

Ghent flashes his fangs in a wicked grin, his short, stout muzzle pulled up menacingly, but there is fear in his yellow, slitted eyes. His brown fur bristles, from the energy in the room or from his fear, I cannot say. He opens his mouth to say something, but Neiru interrupts him, her voice booming with power.

"I am Neiru Ne'la, the Storm Mage, the Lady of Lightning." She raises her arms, electricity crackling wildly over her hands. "Flee now, if you value your lives. There is no mercy to be found here. Run away, unless you are foolish enough to believe you can weather the STORM!"

At the last word, a bright flash of lightning streaks through the air, burning into my vision a branching pillar of brilliant light. Everything goes white, and the entire castle shakes and rumbles under my feet. I hear the sound of stone collapsing, shouts, cries of pain, accompanied by another flash and another roll of thunder. Blindly, I stumble out of the room and down a hall, feeling my way past every inch of stone. More peals of thunder and crashing of stone sound out from behind me, more shouting and commotion, slowly fading as I stagger onwards, away from the fight and hopefully towards the solar.

Panicking, I stumble and trip, scraping myself on the stone around me, squeezing my eyes, trying to blink my sight back. Mercifully after only a few moments, my vision begins to clear, though the radiant strike of lightning is still burned into my eyes. The castle is suddenly a lot colder, and a lot darker. I peer out the nearest window slit to find that dark clouds have overtaken the sky, black heavens churning and rumbling, yearning to release the energy and sound stirring inside them. The wind howls, singing a song of fear and danger throughout the castle. A few droplets of rain fall past the window, only a scattering, but growing with every moment.

The door to Asterius's solar is only a few feet away from me. I reach out a hand and push, and the door gives way.

There is a thwip and something thuds into the door beside me. An arrow. With a start, I raise my hands, wincing and hoping another arrow isn't on its way.

"Ah, oh gods. It's you, Luro."

Crouched behind his desk, Asterius sits with bow drawn and arrow nocked. On recognizing me, he lowers his weapon.

"They're coming for me." He looks outside at the worsening weather, "This storm... it's Neiru."

"She bought us some time." I walk into the room, looking around nervously, "We... we have to go."

"She told me this was going to happen. She warned me. But I never thought... I never thought it would really happen."

He steps out from his desk and walks up to me, grabbing my hand. He is shaking.

"I'm scared, Luro. I don't want to die." His voice breaks, and he lets out a whimper of fear.

"We're gonna be okay..." I squeeze his hand, trying to reassure myself as much as him, "Did Neiru tell you what to do if this happened?"

He sniffs, and then nods. "There is a hidden exit. It will take us several miles from the castle. I don't think many people know of it."

"Then let's go." I draw my sword, holding the handle tight to steel my nerves. The steel gleams dimly in the light. "I'll protect you... don't worry."

Asterius turns and looks longingly at his books, the handful scattered about as well as the ones sorted into the bookcases around the room. After this brief moment, he turns back around towards the door and takes a deep breath.

"Okay. I have to show you the way."

The rain patters on the rafters above us as we rush through the hallways at the back of the castle, descending staircase after staircase, taking care to avoid any pursuers or commotions that we hear. Flashes of lightning occasionally strike in the distance, illuminating the environment and casting brief, wicked shadows around us. Accompanying every flash is a roll of thunder, rumbling and shaking the old stones of the dusty passages under our feet.

Asterius keeps himself composed, his bow at the ready, sword dangling from his hilt. He picks his way around, always keeping an eye on me to make sure I'm following closely. The relative quiet of the rear of the castle is a little unnerving and the storm outside, with its wild light and noise, serves only to heighten our anxiety.

Coming down into a short corridor, we reach an intersection. Peering down one way, I recognize the far end as the entrance to the kitchen. We're not far away from the dining area, but secluded in a little-used hallway branching off from the servant areas. Motioning me along, Asterius leads us into a minor storage room, picking his way past the empty crates and standing before the far wall. His claws scuff the stone as he drags his hands around the wall, searching for something.

"It's here, I know it is." He whispers to himself.

Just then, I hear footsteps. Many footsteps, coming through the dining room and entering the corridor we were just in. I edge closer to Asterius, whispering to him.

"They're coming." I turn my head, trying to hear better, to count the number of footsteps. There are too many, and they are too erratic. "If we stay quiet, they may miss us."

There is a click, and a grinding of stone. Followed by a much louder grinding of stone, the grating sound echoing out into the corridor.

Oh dear.

The stone of the far wall of the room, once flush and solid, swings away in a small, rectangular, drake-sized section. There are shouts outside.

"Did you hear that? It came from in there!"

Rushing footsteps, coming ever closer. I turn to Asterius, who is peering through the secret doorway.

"Run!" I shout, pushing him onward and through the passage.

Our feet kick up clouds of dust in the ancient, unused passageway. It goes on for only a few feet before we meet another stone wall blocking our path. There is no light, and no obvious signs of a switch, only featureless stone coated in a layer of old grime.

My heart sinks. "What now? What do we do?" My sword-hand trembles and tightens, my knuckles turning white.

"Push!"

Asterius presses up against the wall, pushing and straining against the stone. With barely enough room for two people abreast, I tuck in beside Asterius and shove against the wall with all my might. The stone shifts, but does not give way.

"Harder!"

Our claws scrape the stone, looking for purchase on both the ground and the wall. Straining and grunting, we struggle to move the ancient stone door. I pull Asterius back.

"On three."

He nods.

"One..."

Footsteps enter the storage room behind us. The passage door is still wide open. The pale orange light of a torch shines into the corridor. A silhouette forms at the other end, steel in hand and shield in arm.

"Two..."

With a meaningful step, the silhouette strides into the corridor. His armor gleams, and with his helmeted head, he looks at us, the cold metal disguising his expression.

"Three!"

Together, we slam into the door, stumbling as it abruptly gives way.

The passage opens up into a small courtyard, ringed on all sides by tall, windowless walls. Rain pours down from the heavens, soaking the greenery and giving the air a moist, earthy scent. A few wild bushes have grown around the tiny dirt scuffs that mark the path leading onwards and under the far wall, passing beneath an arch and onwards into a wild and overgrown tunnel, flanked and sealed in by rocks and dirt on both sides and a thick canopy of foliage on top.

Trying to regain our footing, we stagger into the courtyard, our assailant hot on our heels. The downpour of water quickly soaks into our clothes. We've barely reached the arch when a voice calls out.

"Wait."

_I recognize that voice._Turning around, I stare at the lone knight that followed us in. That armor; it could only be him.

Flipping his helmet open, Rutellan peers at us, eyes set with grim determination.

My heart leaps into my throat. "Rutellan, no..."

"Luro... I have decided not to run away."

I look at him, terrified at what this means, terrified at what might happen. With steel in his hands, does he intend to take our lives?

Looking between me and Rutellan, Asterius speaks aloud, his hands gripping tightly onto his bow, arrow nocked but not yet drawn. His hands tremble slightly "Who... who is this?"

"Duke Asterius. I am Sir Rutellan Suseri, a household knight of Lord Perkan...

Has he really come here to kill us?

No... no, there's something else.

"But no longer."

Rutellan takes two great strides towards us, situating himself in the center of the tiny, hidden courtyard.

"Luro, you taught me something." He turns to face the doorway he just came out of, holding his sword and shield at the ready, "A knight is sworn to serve their lord and their people, it is true."

There is a clattering of mail and weapons coming from within the passage, the shadows of bulky soldiers squeezing between the narrow stones.

"But they are also sworn to defend those in need... and those whom they care about. To defend others, but also to defend their beliefs, to be true to themselves. If a knight cannot defend those he loves... if he cannot do the right thing... is he a true knight at all?"

Taking off his helmet, he looks at me, eyes shimmering, his scales and armor soaked through from the rain. Rivers of water run off from the metal plates, dripping and pouring from his snout and ears.

"I will stop them here. There are many of them. You should go, now." His expression free of guilt and sadness, a light smile playing on his face.

One by one, a handful of soldiers exit the passageway, stepping into the courtyard. At the head of the group, Lord Perkan wears an amused grin on his scarred canine muzzle.

"You've caught them I see, Blue!" Perkan's voice is as rough as he looks, but he sounds surprisingly cheerful.

Rutellan shakes his head. "I am afraid not, sire."

Perkan barks out a laugh, seeing right to the heart of the matter and seeming genuinely entertained. "Ah ha! You're turning against me now, is that it, Blue? I've always thought this would happen, one day or another."

Perkan's voice and expression hides no malice, no hatred. Just amusement and mirth.

Maybe the rumors are right. Perkan lives for battle and adventure. Perhaps he took part in this coup just for the experience of it.

"Give him a try, boys." He motions to a pair of knights, a fox and a gryphon, and they move towards Rutellan with weapons bared.

The gryphon lets out a squawk as he charges Rutellan, saber flashing. Rutellan flings his shield out and to the side, easily deflecting the attack and turning the gryphon sideways from the force of it. Spinning around to follow through, Rutellan's sword strikes out, striking his opponent in their feathery head and causing them to tumble to the ground.

No blood?... He's using the blunt edge of his sword.

Trying to catch him off guard, the fox rushes in from Rutellan's side. The blue knight proves too quick. Bringing his shield around with incredible speed, Rutellan easily deflects the fox's sword and then lunges forward with shield braced, pushing up against the fox and knocking him off balance. With a final, powerful shove, Rutellan sends the fox slipping off their feet and into the wall, the furry knight colliding into the stone with a crunch and getting the sense knocked right out of them. Staggering, the fox tries to keep his balance, whipping his sword around ineffectually, before finally collapsing in a total daze.

Perkan claps his armored paws together. "Ha ha! Perfect! They didn't stand a chance." Reaching behind his head, he draws out a long, heavy-looking sword, nearly as tall as he is, with a blade as wide as his arm. Despite its size, Perkan seems to wield it as if it were made of cloth, effortlessly swinging it in a flourish. The fur and armor along his arms disguise any muscle mass, but he must be very strong.

"I always liked you, Blue. Always wanted to try you on for size. Not just in a spar, but in the real thing!" He grins, visibly excited, eager to do battle with Rutellan. "I've really been looking forward to this. Fight with everything you've got!"

He twirls his blade and points it at Rutellan, and then draws it back and lowers into a fighting stance. The other few knights that accompany him sidle away into the corners of the courtyard, trying to stay out of the way but in view for the incoming spectacle.

Rutellan glances back at Asterius and I, donning his helmet once again and closing the visor. His voice echoes in the metal.

"I must ask you both to leave now, while you have time. Please."

"Rutellan..." I wring my hands. No, don't do this, I don't want this to happen, Rutellan...

Asterius tugs at my arm. "He's right."

I gaze at Rutellan, the gallant knight from my childhood, coming to our rescue just when we needed him the most, in this one final display of selfless bravery. Just like the knight I know he is, always has been, and that I always dreamed of becoming.

He did this for me. I can't waste it.

"I'll never forget you."

Rutellan's expression is masked by his helmet. But somehow... I just know he's smiling.

"Nor I you, Luro."

I turn, and with Asterius, descend through the secluded tunnel.

***

***

The rain continued for days after the attempted coup, washing away the blood of innocent and guilty alike. The castle suffered severe damage from the storm, and was rendered uninhabitable. Just as well, some people thought, as there was no longer a duke to inhabit it.

Asterius had disappeared. The duchy that the father built up had fallen apart during the reign of the son. Asterius the second was not truly hated for his rule, but he was not loved either. The people moved on. Losing its central governance, the lands splintered and the lords and people saw fit to rule themselves. Yet the one that had the greatest designs on the land lay slain in his ambition. Ghent never saw the fruit of his actions, having suffered the fury of the storm. Neiru's last moments... her last decision as a mother was to destroy her son's greatest threat, punish the architect behind the destruction of the realm, and to avenge the death of the dragon-duke she once loved.

Only a small number of knights were able to witness the duel between Sir Rutellan and Lord Perkan. There was no ill will, no evil intent between the fighters. Only duty, passion, and honor. Rutellan, a model knight, and Perkan, the lord of battle. As their swords clashed, they were smiling. Few of the knights that saw the fight ever spoke of it, and it is unclear who ended up as the victor. But as Lord Perkan walked out of that castle and back to his home, it was hard not to notice the blue-scaled knight at his side.

The other lords grew accustomed to their new independence, some quickly, others more slowly. Lord Ietri, ever loyal to the duchy, searched for Asterius for many months. His feathered captains scoured the countryside, the avian lord desperate to see justice done -- to see the duke placed back on the throne. The lady Elenor, always the voice of reason to her lord husband, appealed to him, and despite some promising reports from his scouts, Ietri called off the search and began to see to his duties as a newly independent lord. He was just and fair, as he was in all things.

Hoyt's money and influence gave him great power, and he became the de-facto authority of the region. Despite this, he was content to continue what he had been doing, encouraging growth, trade and the arts, and was always ready with lavish feasts and great festivals for the people he ruled. He took no part in the coup, offering no money and no support to either side, whether out of fear of picking the losing side or simply a desire for peaceful neutrality, only Hoyt himself knows. Perhaps he made the wisest decision of them all.

---

They could not have known at the time that no enemies pursued them. They were on the run for a while, wannabe knight and exile duke, taking care to avoid large towns and busy roads, sticking to small villages and camping out under the stars, doing everything they could do to avoid the fallout of that fateful, stormy night. They explored the coast near Port Aster, the winding and twisting roads and grasses of the Emeraldine, and the sleepy hamlets that lay on the fringes of the known land. They struggled, the duke especially, unaccustomed to this survival and to these sparse means, but the pair persevered, together, side by side.

Asterius shaved down his horns and darkened his scales with dirt, to avoid being recognized. He heard through rumor and hearsay that Ietri was looking for him, but the former duke did not wish to follow the path that the bird-and-feather desired for him. It was strange, shunning a former vassal, as loyal as he remained, but Asterius knew that it was necessary. He never regretted his decision; he was happy, free from the chains of the life he never asked for, never wanted, accompanied by his own personal knight, best friend, and heartfelt lover, Luro. He was laughing and smiling more than he ever did as duke. His heart had been set free.

Time passed, and people forgot the face of the former duke that had once ruled over them. The events faded into memory, becoming history, distant and forgotten, detached from the new reality that had emerged from the ashes. The pair began a new life, a simple life, having returned to South Crossing, the hometown of the once knight aspirant, whose parents were overjoyed to see come back to them, and who clearly saw the love that he had for his companion. They were happy for their son and treated his lover like family, until the end of their days.

Luro never quite became the knight that he always dreamt of being. He never attended any more noble, extravagant feasts, nor did he ride out to meet his enemies at the side of his liege. But... he did follow what he believed in, and protected the one he cared about when they needed him the most. Rutellan's last words to him stuck firmly in his mind. And... as the years went by, he found himself sitting down to dinner every night with the one he loved, riding out to the countryside at the side of the person he cared about the most in his life, and... he wondered if that was really any different. He had proved gallant, brave, and honorable all in his own, humble way, and was now sharing his life with Asterius, one laugh, smile, and kiss at a time. And he couldn't have asked for anything more.