FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Magick and Mystery

Chapter One - A Thief Caught

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

January, 2006 (Revised and partially re-written, 10th October, 2009)

All Rights Reserved.

Blaze wandered the markets, his fine emerald green robes swishing against his ankles, as he glanced up at the sun then winced and pulled his deep hood further down his muzzle. His sensitive eyes, so dark as almost to be black, watered with the quick glance at the sun, before he blinked away the moisture that gathered in the corner of his widely spaced eyes. From the top of his hood, slender tubular ears poked through and they flicked too and fro as they warded off the biting flies that irritated him. A fine fur covered his long muzzle, sparkling like gold, yet it was the distinctive white blaze that ran from between his eyes and ended just before his flared nostrils, that most people noticed. It was this white blaze, which had earned him his name. Through a hole in his finely tailored robe, his long, silvery tail swished from side to side as he walked quietly, his hooves clicking against the cobblestones. Many people only needed a quick glance at his large frame, then the wide flared nostrils, the ridges and valleys on his velvety nose and the distinctive chin, gave away his ancestry.

Here and there, merchants bartered with customers, and other peasants and noble's servants sought to make deals for themselves, or their master or mistress.

"How much for this locket?" Blaze asked, a gold coloured paw tipped with black claws, gestured to the ornate silver pendant the merchant had on display.

"Seven florins, good sir!" responded the merchant, his eyes sparkling mischievously, as he sought to make a sale.

"Seven?" Blaze snorted, his nostrils widening as he raised an eyebrow slowly. "You are no jester merchant. I will give you three, and no more."

"Milord," Exclaimed the merchant. "You would but take the bread from my children's mouth with an offer of three florins! Such a fine piece as this would fetch â€" "

Waving his paw negligently, Blaze began to turn away, but he stopped as the merchant grasped his robed sleeve. Blaze slowly turned his head and stared at the merchant, who snatched his hand back as if burned.

"I will give you four â€" take it, or leave it." Blaze spoke calmly, yet the steel beneath his sibilant voice was all too clear.

With a sigh, the Merchant bowed his head in acquiescence and surrendered the silver locket to Blaze. Satisfied, Blaze reached into his belt pouch and placed four freshly minted gold florins on the merchants table. They disappeared in the blink of an eye, and the merchant smiled and thanked him profusely â€" reaching out and grasping Blaze's hand. Blazes' nose wrinkled in loathing, but the merchant did not notice.

As Blaze walked away, he unconsciously rubbed his palm against his robes, and paused at another stall. Here, he looked over the merchants wares, thoughtfully scratching the left side of his muzzle, as he was want to do when deep in thought.

"Oh, excuse me good sir â€" " Whispered a young human woman, as she jostled Blaze â€" the crush of passing people and anthro's alike bottled into a choke-point here.

Blaze nodded once, then resumed examining the merchant's wares â€" yet his ears flicked backwards and he tensed, his robes trembling as he moved his weight. He waited until the woman melted back into the crowd, before he turned and spoke a single word. Powerful magicks seized this would be thief and stopped her in her tracks. Blaze sighed through his nostrils, then as the crowd began to pull away and someone began yelling for the guardsmen, Blaze walked up to her and delicately reached into her double-robe and retrieved his money pouch.

"I believe," Blaze spoke calmly, yet his voice tinged with annoyance. "That this does not belong to you milady."

Frozen in place, she could do nothing as Blaze sighed and shook his head â€" then reached up and folded back his hood. His golden fur dazzled all who looked upon his equine face and the white blaze shone brilliantly, as if trying to outdo his gleaming muzzle fur. He watched impassively, as tears began welling in her green eyes, then he sighed and waved a paw and with that â€" released her from his magicks that had bound her.

"Make way, make way for the constabulary!" Come gruff voices, as the town guard pushed through the milling crowd.

"Milord, please â€" I beg of you, please do not turn me over to them, you do not know what they will do to me!" whimpered the woman, as tears brimmed in her eyes.

Blaze cocked a furred eyebrow slightly, then his eyes narrowed and he stared at her.

"You should have thought of that â€" before you decided to lighten me of my purse, and others as well, hmmm?"

"I never stole â€" " She replied, then Blaze's eyebrows raised, and at his command, her outer robes were parted and the crowd saw the cleverly concealed secret pockets.

As the guardsmen arrived, Blaze grasped the woman and pulled her robe closed, then turned to stare at the crowd.

"Alright," Sighed the young constable, as he rested his hand on the truncheon at his waist. "What's going on here?"

"I â€" " stammered the woman, as she flicked a glance at Blaze.

"This young lady was merely â€" giving me my pouch that must have fallen from my belt. I guess I forgot to fasten it properly." Blaze replied, as he pulled his hood up to shield his eyes and then waved his paw. "Just a misunderstanding officer, we're sorry for bothering you."

Staring suspiciously at the nervous young lady, then at Blaze, the constable thought about arresting them both as a matter of principle, then Blaze whispered something under his breath, and the constable's expression changed to one of a friendlier outlook.

"Well then, carry on â€" sorry to have disturbed you milord, lady!" Smiled the constable, as he touched his fingers to his helm.

As the woman made to move away, Blaze's paw shot out and grabbed her tightly around the upper arm. She froze, feeling those furred fingers squeeze gently, but realised if he wanted to, he could inflict a great deal of pain upon her.

"Not so fast, thief." Blaze hissed at her. "You owe me an explanation and I will hear it â€" but not here. Will you come quietly â€" or would you prefer I call the guardsmen back?"

"No â€" please milord â€" I'll do anything, please don't turn me over to them!" She begged.

Blaze nodded and then began leading her through the market. To all accounts and purposes, it looked like a pair of friends â€" the male leading the female, but the truth was far different. He led her back to his opulent mansion, where at his whispered words, the iron gates swung open and he led her up the crushed quartz walkway and into the house. Here, he was met by an anthropomorphic young white rat female. Her whiskers twitched as she smiled, then bowed deeply to Blaze.

"Welcome home milord." She spoke quietly, as she deeply curtseyed.

"Thank you Cassandra," Blaze replied, as the rodent helped him from his robes. "I would like my â€" guest â€" to be bathed and something more suitable found for her attire, if it pleases you."

"At once master," Cassandra nodded eagerly, and then reached out for the woman's hand.

With a gasp of revulsion, the woman shrunk back away from the female rat, whose widely spaced black eyes blinked, and then Cassandra sighed and smiled â€" her long incisors gleaming.

"It's alright," Cassandra chuckled. "I'm not going to bite you. Nor do I carry the black plague, or any other diseases. Now, stop being foolish and follow me please."

Bewildered, the young would-be thief acquiesced and followed Cassandra. Blaze watched them go, then shook his head and snorted, before he headed down the corridor and into his private study, closing the heavy oak door behind him.

Cassandra filled a large bath full of warm water, and then found a wash cloth and a rough cake of home made soap. Placing these beside the bath, she sniffed, and then wrinkled her pale pink nose as the scent from the woman's clothes washed over her.

"He â€" keeps you as a slave?" Gasped the woman, as she slowly unclasped the crude leather belt around her middle, then paused and flushed with embarrassment.

"A slave? Oh no, master Blaze is not like that â€" I am his willing servant and steward. He â€" is a kindly master. Once, I was like you â€" starving, and stealing what I could from the merchant's stalls, just so I could survive, selling my..." Cassandra bit her tongue and looked down.

"You â€" sold yourself for â€" " Gasped the woman, then she flinched as Cassandra's paws reached up and slipped the rough weave gown off her.

Her ample breasts were firm and unblemished, and self-consciously, the woman covered them with her hands as she blushed. Cassandra chuckled quietly, and then petted the nervous young human woman delicately on the shoulder.

"I think," Cassandra told her, as she smiled again and gave the woman a quick look over. "That unless you want to live the life you know now, you have a choice. Either beg master Blaze for forgiveness, and ask to serve him willingly, of your own free will, or â€" "

Slipping out of her dirty skirt, the woman shuddered and nodded. "Or â€" I can take the risk of living on the streets...I see your point."

Cassandra's nose wrinkled and her whiskers flicked, as she tied to block out the scent from the woman's dirty clothes. "Good â€" now, have your bath, and I'll see to it you have some decent clothes â€" these...I will dispose of. Master Blaze has a very sensitive sense of smell and I'd rather not upset him."

Slipping off her undergarments, the young lady eased herself into the steaming tub and she moaned softly in pleasure. Indeed, it had been many months, since she had the luxury of a bath such as this. Relaxing her tense muscles, she submerged herself deeper, until only her head remained above water. She did not hear the soft footsteps of Cassandra return a short while later, and then she uttered a squeal and jumped â€" splashing water over the edge of the bath and onto the stone floor, where it ran down channels cut into the stone and disappeared into a small hole.

"Oh," Cassandra giggled, and then placed a rough weave towel down on the small stool beside the tub. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Sorry, I guess I'm just...a little jumpy â€" that's all. I mean, just a few hours ago, I was stealing purses and wondering where I would sleep tonight, now, I'm enjoying this luxurious bath and â€" " Sighed the rogue, as she blushed, then offered a wet, dripping hand. "I'm Jess."

Cassandra took the proffered hand in her own pale furred one, and then squeezed it lightly.

"A pleasure to meet you Jess, I'm Cassandra, as you know â€" and your potential benefactor â€" is Master Blaze. He's a â€" " Cassandra grinned, showing her sharp teeth.

"He's a horse â€" " Jess nodded.

"Well," Cassandra chuckled, and then rolled her eyes. "That's...not quite right. He's descended from the great sire of Arkalas and the Dam Silverthorne, both of whom were Knights in the War of the Black Thunder, centuries ago, where my â€" our â€" kind won our freedom from slavery and oppression. Now, it's taken hundreds of years but we are now fairly treated by all we meet. Of course, some people still cling to the old beliefs, that we are abominations and â€" "

"I don't think you are," Jess sighed, as she lightly caressed Cassandra's paw and smiled shyly at her. "I mean, Blaze could have â€" "

"You will address him as Master Blaze, please!" Cassandra hissed then blinked as Jess nodded and squeezed her paw again.

"Sorry, I meant no disrespect â€" but why â€" I mean, why would he offer me this â€" life, when he could have turned me over to the constabulary?" Jess asked, as she continued to lightly hold Cassandra's paw.

Cassandra squeaked, then snatched her paw back, ashamed at the feelings she felt stirring within her. Surely, Cassandra did not â€" no! She couldn't possibly think that Cassandra might â€" could she?

Blinking her eyes, Jess blushed herself, then sighed and reached for the soap and began rubbing it over her milk-white skin. Cassandra helped and washed Jess' back, thoughts of what remained unsaid between herself and Jess troubling her. Cassandra admitted to herself, that it had not been the first time she had â€" entertained â€" thoughts of laying with another female, but most had been repulsed by her appearance. Could Jess' be merely seeking to find a way to get Cassandra's trust? Cassandra did not know, but she did know she would not tell Master Blaze, as he would want to have a clear mind when he questioned this strange, young lady.

~ To Be Continued ~