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What Ettoras Had

Chapter 73

Ettoras walked through the mist, his great golden wings folded behind him. It was raining, but the sun was shining in long beams, and in the distance, he could see his mother's palace, floating across the pink sky on a jagged plot of earth, wreathed in golden clouds and glowing like a star. He tried to reach the palace, but he looked down and realized the mist had thickened. Something was keeping him from S'pru, a gentle pressure that paralyzed him.

Ettoras felt eyes on his back, and when he turned around, Judith was standing in the mist, against the warm pink sky. She was naked, but her long black mane cascaded in straight, flowing tresses over her body, cloaking her nudity almost entirely. Her face and eyes were also hidden behind her hair, and her muzzle alone protruded from the curtain of her long mane.

"Son of Ti'uu," Judith said, her voice echoing, rippling through the dream. Her black lips pulled in a slow smile. "Awake, son of Ti'uu, child of Water. Leave your ponderings behind."

Ettoras blinked, and when he opened his eyes, he was in one of Wychowl's great gardens, sitting under a tree in the cool shade as the smell of breakfast wafted across the bright blue sky. He had been meditating as usual, tapping into the hidden depths of his magic, training himself to use it for his return to S'pru. But he'd been interrupted.

Ettoras looked up to find Judith standing over him. Thankfully, she wasn't naked. She was dressed in a simple green gown that was so colorless it was almost gray, and her incredibly long black mane was pulled back in an elegant bun. Ettoras could see her sharp hazel eyes peering down at him with something between pity and affection.

"Your magic is getting stronger," Judith said with approval. "Ti'uu is pleased. If you succeeded in rejuvenating S'pru, he would be very proud. If you ruled S'pru, he would grant you the godhood that was lost. He would also bless Yeneneshe."

Ettoras blinked, and it suddenly occurred to him that Judith had entered his mind to bring him out of his meditations. That she had the ability to do such a thing was utterly shocking, as only foxes could enter someone's consciousness, and even then, such a thing required magic of the highest degree. Ettoras stared up at Judith with his mouth hanging open.

"Come now, you look like a fish," said Judith with a laugh. "On your feet, your highness. I have something to show you. The both of you."

Ettoras glanced past Judith and realized with a start that Zeinara was standing behind her. The princess was dressed in riding pants and a loose white shirt, as she had refused to don a dress since her return. Her golden mane was a haphazard mess, and her shirt was half-tucked, as if she had dressed in a hurry. She stood with her arms folded, looking very grumpy and impatient.

Ettoras got to his feet and brushed off his long white robes. His golden wings fluttered large behind him, glittering in the sunlight, and from the corner of his eye, he could see the Beauceron gardeners watching him with amazement and delight. One was staring at Ettoras so hard that he walked into a bush.

"If I miss breakfast because of this --!" Zeinara began irritably.

"Patience, your highness," said Judith with a smile and turned away. "Come along, the both of you."

Ettoras looked at Zeinara for an explanation, but the princess only shrugged. Together, they followed Judith back into the castle and into the gloom of its long halls and dour portraits. They climbed the magnificent main stair and continued down a long corridor, passing through the streams of sunlight that reached through each arched window. Ettoras thought the castle had a sort of elegance that reminded him of his mother's palace, only the elegance - all fox architecture, according to King Damon - had been built over by the dogs when King Antony captured Varimore and its grand palace. Ettoras thought it was a shame. Dog architecture was gothic -- and ugly.

"What is this about, Judy?" Zeinara demanded through a yawn.

Ettoras glanced sideways at Zeinara and sort of envied her. Zeinara complained all the time about her lonely childhood and how she was kept from other children and hidden away in the castle for her own safety, but she always had plenty of beasts who loved and cared for her surrounding her. Axel was Zeinara's childhood friend and loved her dearly. Pili had also loved Zeinara and had been utterly devoted to both her and her father, risking death to protect them many times. Nkwe and Mogethis had loved Zeinara like a daughter, and Etienne had loved her, though she seemed to think otherwise. Now on top of that, she had this uncle of hers named Asres who seemed to dote upon her as well - and she took it entirely for granted!

And then, of course, there was Judith, who Zeinara affectionately called "Judy." Judith had been at the castle for the last twenty years and had known Etienne since he was a young king and Zeinara since she was a child. There was a special bond between Zeinara and Judith, a sort of sister vibe of love and affection.

So growing up in the castle, as miserable as she was, at least Zeinara had a family. Ettoras couldn't think of anyone who'd loved him the way Zeinara's family had loved her. Though Ettoras hadn't been locked away for his safety, he was still emotionally isolated from nearly the whole of S'pru simply because he was viewed as a god by his peers. The other children kept their distance, only having the courage to approach him on occasion because of Kayya. Ettoras had no elders, no mentors caring for him in S'pru aside from Nerayn and her father - both of whom had been traitors. And Azrian herself had been distant and cold, nothing but a ball of glowing light hovering indifferently over a white throne.

What did Ettoras have? He didn't even have Kayya anymore. Kayya had been the only family Ettoras had ever known, and now he was forced to leave her behind here in Wychowl. He knew she would never come back to S'pru with him to live, and he knew it was selfish to expect her to. She would stay here with Zeinara, choosing his sister over him, just as Etienne had before her. Ettoras often thought that maybe Etienne did know about him but hadn't come for him simply because he would rather be a father to Zeinara, the child he could claim. And while Ettoras was happy for Zeinara and Kayya and wished only the best for them, he thought he understood exactly how and why Yeneneshe could envy Zeinara and the fact that everyone loved her so dearly. Oh, he understood.

"And what's this about making Ettoras a god?" Zeinara further questioned.

"Ti'uu has offered him godhood if he succeeds in his goal," Judith answered serenely.

Ettoras' ears pricked forward. "But what if I don't want godhood?"

Judith blinked in surprise. "Why wouldn't you want it?"

"Ask my mother," said Ettoras bitterly, temper flaring, "who couldn't hold or kiss her own son for fear of shattering his mortal heart with the sound of her voice alone!"

"Ah," Judith said quietly, sadly.

Ettoras swallowed guilty, silently scolding himself for his own anger. "It's alright, Judith," he said heavily. "I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"Classic Emerald quote there," said Zeinara with a laugh.

"I don't want to become isolated from my subjects," Ettoras went on. "I want to be able to walk among them, be with them, be a part of them. If that means being mortal, then so be it."

Judith smiled as if Ettoras' answer pleased her, and she said no more as they continued down the hall.

"This is Damon's quarters," Zeinara said in disgust when they had approached a pair of double doors.

Two guards were outside the doors, and from the inside, Ettoras could hear the panting and soft screaming of what was clearly lovemaking. He looked at Judith in wonder, silently demanding to know why she would bring them here. Zeinara did the same.

"Judy, are you out of your mind?" Zeinara demanded. "As if I wanted to have breakfast after walking in on Damon having a go with a servant --"

"It isn't a servant," Judith said quietly.

Zeinara scowled. "Then who is he fucking and why in hell should I care?"

"It's Yeneneshe," Judith answered tonelessly.

Ettoras felt the pain strike his heart like a burn. He looked at Judith in amazement. How could she make jokes like this? "Judith . . . that's not funny."

". . . she isn't laughing," said Zeinara slowly, who was staring at Judith. Zeinara looked quickly at the guards. "Open the doors!"

The guards hesitated. "Your highness, we have strict orders from his majesty --" began one.

"Oh, really?" said Zeinara and folded her arms. She lifted her brows. "Well, now you have strict orders from me, the future queen of the fucking world! I said open the doors!"

"Yes, your highness!" answered the guards at once and did as they were told.

Ettoras and Zeinara burst almost wildly into the room, as behind them, Judith glided along in her ballooning green dress and took her time.

Ettoras halted and couldn't move. Yeneneshe and King Damon were indeed having sex. They were together on the immense bed against the far wall, and the green canopy was pulled back to reveal them. Yeneneshe was on her knees, legs spread and tail lifted, as Damon knelt behind her, pulling her arms back as he slammed his big brown cock in her straining pink pussy. Damon was wearing a housecoat, but it hung off his muscular frame, and Yeneneshe was completely naked, all softness and curves, hanging breasts jiggling with every desperate slam of the king's hungry cock. Her mouth was open and her tongue was out and she was panting in a daze as the king took her. She screamed softly and her hips snapped when he drove himself hard and deep inside, pulling so eagerly on her arms, Ettoras thought he'd surely rip them off.

Meanwhile, Damon's slave, the white Akbash, Icarus, was standing bedside a small table, quietly and indifferently watching the rape. Icarus and his indifference to the brutal crime only made all of it more surreal. It couldn't be happening!

Seeing red, Ettoras launched at King Damon and tackled him to the floor. He punched and roared and swung, and he was so wild and furious, he couldn't even tell if he was hitting his target. He heard King Damon grunting and shouting in pain, heard something pop and crack, and was pleased with himself. He kept going, the king kept grunting and shouting for help, and it took him a moment to realize Zeinara was pulling on his arm, trying to stop him.

"Ettoras! ETTORAS!" Zeinara yelled.

Ettoras froze mid-punch, his muscular arm pulled back to strike again. He glanced down at his own white robes and realized they were splattered with blood. King Damon lay still on the carpet, and he was so bloody, Ettoras could hardly make out his face.

Icarus stood nearby, watching what was happening with a sad frown. His ears were back flat, and for the first time since he'd known him, Ettoras could see true emotion on his face: he was afraid. He took a step back and stared at Ettoras as if he were some monster.

Ashamed of his anger, Ettoras glanced around and realized Zeinara's small paws were on his arm. Her blue eyes were practically popping in shock. Ettoras took a breath and lowered his arm, and Zeinara hesitating before letting go.

"Geez," Zeinara said in amazement and backed away. "You could have killed him!"

"That was the point . . ." Ettoras muttered, chest heaving. He glanced around and saw Yeneneshe was kneeling on the bed, shrinking and small. She had pulled a sheet up over her breasts and was looking at Ettoras with apologetic black eyes. She looked so _ashamed._What did she have to be sorry for? Ettoras slowly got to his feet and stared at Yeneneshe in amazement. "Yen . . ." he said slowly as the realization dawned on him. "Did you . . . Did you _want_him to . . .?"

Yeneneshe swallowed hard and her long, dark lashes fluttered out a tear. "E-Ettoras . . ." she whispered in a broken voice.

Ettoras took an angry breath. "No! Don't apologize to me." He turned to the door and halted to see Judith standing there with Prince Sterling, who was backed by three shocked Poston guards. Judith was calm and unmoved, but Prince Sterling stared at his father's still body in horror. When he saw the blood on Ettoras, he lunged into the room screaming for revenge. Ettoras steeled himself for the collision, but he was surprised when Zeinara stepped in and gave the charging prince of Poston a nice upper cut to the nose. Blood squirted, and Prince Sterling staggered, clutching his face in shock and indignation.

In the silence that followed, Zeinara glared at everyone. "Now," said the princess of Varimore, "this is what's going to happen. Sterling, you are going to pack your father's crap and ship him back to Poston. Now."

Sterling made an incredulous noise and waved in disgust at Ettoras. "Your highness! Are you seriously going to overlook the fact that --"

"I said --!" began Zeinara angrily.

Prince Sterling blinked, and Ettoras knew he was rethinking his position. If he pushed to have Ettoras punished, it would sour his stance as Zeinara's betrothed. He swallowed his anger with difficulty and bowed his head. "Yes, your highness," he said humbly. "I shall make the preparations." He turned away, but before he'd left the room, he glared a last time at Ettoras, then he left, his guards following.

"And, Yen," Zeinara said, looking at Yeneneshe uncertainly. "You stay here. I'll have someone escort you to your quarters - which you are not to leave until further notice."

Yeneneshe's breasts heaved, and Ettoras knew she resented being ordered around by Zeinara. She climbed down from the bed, careful to avoid looking at Ettoras as she pulled on her coat, and Ettoras caught a glimpse of her pink pussy: it was gushing._He could feel the anger throbbing in his ears as it became all the more _painfully clear that she'd been sleeping with the king of Poston voluntarily. He watched as she went to a chair and sat, and she kept her head down under the burn of his stare.

"Judith," Zeinara continued.

"Yes, your highness?" Judith said, folding her paws over her skirts and reverently bowing her head.

"Fetch a doctor for our friend here," Zeinara said, jerking her head at Damon's unconscious form. "Also, send an escort for Yen."

"Yes, your highness," Judith repeated and turned from the room.

"Ettoras," Zeinara said in a hushed voice, "come with me."

Ettoras blinked in surprise but followed Zeinara out of the room. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Yeneneshe watching him sadly, her ears down flat, her eyes echoing pain. If she was so upset about having hurt him, why sleep with Damon in the first place! His blood was still boiling, and he was so angry, he was walking blind. He bumped into a Beauceron, and after the scramble to let the startled slave pass, he continued following Zeinara in a silent rage.

Zeinara glanced at Ettoras with pity. "I know what it looks like," she said soothingly, "but Yeneneshe loves you."

"Does she?" Ettoras said sarcastically.

"Yes, to your great misfortune," said Zeinara with a laugh. "She just has a funny way of showing it."

Ettoras shook his head. "Why would Judith . . .?"

"I think Judith wanted you to beat the crap out of Damon," Zeinara said thoughtfully. "And she wanted me there to protect you from the repercussions of that."

"I'm not afraid of Sterling," Ettoras said darkly. He thought it was a pity that he and Sterling had to hate each other now. The prince was actually a nice fellow. They could have been friends.

"You let me handle Sterling," Zeinara said. "He's my husband-to-be, after all," she added bitterly. "What I can't figure out is why Judith would set us up like that. She's been sweet on Damon for months, the way she tells it. Why have him beaten?"

Ettoras snorted with sarcastic laughter. "Well, he was sleeping with someone else, Zeinara! Maybe she found out and wanted him to pay."

Zeinara shook her head. "No. Judith is a free spirit. She was sleeping with other males even while she slept with Damon. And he was sleeping around as well. Judith likes the casual gangbang every week, for god's sake."

Ettoras' mouth fell open.

"Damon sleeping with someone else shouldn't have been a problem," Zeinara went on, oblivious of her brother's astonishment. "So that means Judith had some other angle. Maybe she finally realized Damon was a threat to us and orchestrated the whole thing to have him removed."

" . . . why would he touch her?" Ettoras wondered sadly, thinking of Yeneneshe and the king of Poston's big brown cock as it pounded her to screaming ecstasy. He couldn't get the image out of his mind and his face darkened. "Why would she let him?"

"Beasts usually stray when they're unhappy, Ettoras," Zeinara said heavily.

"She was unhappy with me?" Ettoras realized. "Why didn't she just talk to me about it then!" He stared miserably into space as Zeinara waved for two guards to open a set of doors. When the doors opened, it took him a moment to realize they had come to Zeinara's quarters.

Zeinara wearily entered her bedchamber, looking very tired as she glanced around for Kayya. Ettoras spotted Kayya first. The young red vixen was behind Zeinara's dressing screen, getting dressed for breakfast: Ettoras could see the top of her white mane over the screen. Zeinara went to her, and Ettoras was surprised when she pulled Kayya from behind the screen half-dressed. Kayya's white gown was hanging off one shoulder and one of her big white breasts was bulging out. Ettoras could see the white stripe that covered her breasts spreading over her slender belly and disappearing into the fabric. He swallowed hard and looked away, but it was too late: he was getting stiff.

"Zeinara!" Kayya cried indignantly and scrambled to pull her dress over her exposed tit.

"Who cares? Ettoras has seen you naked," Zeinara returned impatiently. She murmured something in Kayya's ear, and Kayya looked at Ettoras with large, pitying eyes. She came to Ettoras and peered up at him. "Oh, Ettoras," she said and shook her head, her white mane rustling around her. "I'm_so_ sorry!"

Ettoras nodded unhappily. He didn't feel like talking about it.

Zeinara sat on the edge of her immense canopy bed. The curtains were pulled back and the sheets immaculate: Axel had already been by to make the bed. Zeinara patted the space beside her, and Kayya took an uncertain seat at her side.

"What's going on?" Ettoras wondered.

"Zeinara!" Kayya cried when Zeinara slowly pushed her dress up her thighs. She scrambled to push her dress back down and her white throat blushed. She was so embarrassed, she seemed unable to look at Ettoras and instead stared at the floor.

Zeinara smiled and kissed Kayya on the cheek. "Relax, darling," she said soothingly, then whispered something in Kayya's ear.

Kayya's lashes fluttered. Then Zeinara touched Kayya's cheek, and Kayya nodded. She leaned back on her elbows, smiling at Ettoras as Zeinara lovingly smoothed her dress up her thighs and gently pushed her legs apart, exposing her soft, pink pussy. The two just looked at Ettoras, who stared back in amazement.

"Zeinara! W-What are you . . .?"

"I'm going to teach you to eat pussy," Zeinara said.

Ettoras stared at Kayya's pink sex and felt all the blood rushing below his waist. The smell of her was so enticing, he couldn't even think straight. "But why?"

"Why do you think?" said Zeinara with a laugh. "Yeneneshe is going elsewhere because you aren't experienced --"

Ettoras scowled. "I don't need to hear --"

"It's true, Ettoras," said Kayya over him. "There's a difference between sex and good sex. Good sex isn't something you magically know how to do well. It's a skill you learn."

Ettoras glanced down. "So was I bad with you?" he asked sheepishly.

"You weren't terrible," Kayya answered honestly. "It was our first time: we both could have been better."

"Not that Kayya intends to learn to suck your dick," Zeinara said at once, and Kayya giggled. "Now come here, Ettoras."

Ettoras swallowed hard and stepped into the room. He hesitated, then knelt down before Kayya's spread thighs. Her thighs had always been shaped so prettily and were so strong and so soft. He smoothed his paw up one and saw Kayya smile at him over the mounds of her great breasts.

Zeinara watched the affection between them with a small amused smile, then her eyes went to Kayya's sex and she knelt on the floor beside Ettoras. "Gentle is always good. Less is more. A pussy is very sensitive," she said in a hushed, reverent voice. Looking at Kayya's face, she slid two fingers slowly between the tight, bulging lips of her sex. Kayya's lips parted in a small gasp, and Ettoras saw a blush creep down her neck and into her dress.

Zeinara slowly, carefully started thrusting her fingers, her eyes still on Kayya's face. Kayya's eyes were closed and she was frowning and gasping, her evident pleasure becoming more intense the deeper Zeinara sank her fingers. Ettoras could see the red blush creeping across the scalp under her fur.

"Notice how my fingers are curled," Zeinara said to Ettoras. "There's this thing like a button inside a girl's pussy. If you curl your fingers, you can . . ." She curled her fingers harder and Kayya gasped with delight, "give her intense pleasure."

Ettoras swallowed hard, watching as Zeinara's fingers fed slowly in and out of Kayya's clenching lips. Kayya's pink sex was practically slobbering. The wetness ran down her soft buttocks and down her tail. Her shrill, breathless gasps were music to Ettoras' ears, reminding him of that night he'd first made love to her.

"Oh, oh Zeinara . . ." Kayya whispered helplessly. "You're going to m-make me . . . m-make me s-squirt . . ." Her little toes curled. "Not on my dress . . ."

"Now notice how Kayya kind of has big pussy lips," Zeinara went on. "Some females have them, others don't. If they have them, it feels good if you suck them. Kiss them. Lick them . . ." Zeinara's pink tongue rolled out, and as she fingered Kayya's sex, she dragged her heavy dog-tongue against the soft, swollen pussy lips that enclosed her fingers. Kayya cried out in response, her helpless face gasping and contorted. Zeinara licked again, her blue eyes glazed with lust, and Kayya's sex clenched in response, pushing out more fluid.

"Now, there's also a girl's clit," Zeinara went on. "See that tiny pink knob of flesh? That thing has a thousand nerves and will make her squirt if handled with care. As I said, less is more. Gentle licks, gentle sucks, gentle kisses. And finger her while you're doing it." Zeinara carefully withdrew her fingers and sucked the juices off them. "Go ahead," she said to Ettoras.

Ettoras hesitated and slid his large fingers carefully inside Kayya. Kayya moaned long and low, and when Ettoras gave her pussy lips a heavy lick, her thighs trembled. Encouraged by her moaning and gasping, he slid his fingers in and out, licking her pussy lips, sucking gently on her clitoris and letting his lips smack softly against it. Before long, she was squirming and moaning and softly screaming. Ettoras couldn't believe how easy it actually was and ate her out with abandon. He paused to kiss her thighs, and when he looked up again, Zeinara had pulled Kayya's gown down around her shoulders and was sucking one of her tits while she fingered the nipple on the other. Kayya tits were so huge, Ettoras felt his hard dick dripping, and he simply watched for a moment as his sister sucked with hunger on Kayya's nipples. But the scent of Kayya's pussy hit Ettoras in the face again, and he lowered his head between her thighs, fingering and eating her until she gave a choked scream and squirted in his face.

Ettoras sat up again, breathless and swallowing Kayya's sweet juices and very pleased with himself. Zeinara looked up from Kayya's breasts with a mussed mane and smiled in approval. She and Kayya sat up, and Ettoras sat with them on the edge of the bed. Kayya was so breathless and tired, she dropped her cheek on Zeinara's shoulder, and Zeinara put her arm around her.

"You do that to Yen," Zeinara said, "and she'll never look at another dick again." Zeinara scowled. "Though I'd leave her and find someone better if I were you --"

"Zeinara!" Kayya scolded.

Zeinara shrugged irritably. "It's true. If she was unsatisfied, she should have talked to Ettoras about it."

Ettoras was going to answer when he caught Kayya staring thoughtfully at the tent he had pitched in his robes. He covered it with his paws and looked away, and he didn't see it when Kayya whispered something in Zeinara's ear.

Zeinara rolled her eyes. "Fine. Do it, Kayya. I was going to ask you to do that anyway, actually."

"What do you mean? What . . .?" Ettoras trailed off when Kayya knelt between his legs. She smiled into his eyes and pushed his robes up his muscular thighs, and he fumbled to stop her, stammering out her name in surprise.

Kayya frowned. "Don't you want me to, Ettoras?"

"But Zeinara . . ." Ettoras looked at his sister, who he was surprised to find watching them in amusement.

"Go ahead," Zeinara said, rising to her feet. She looked at Kayya. "And do it with passion. We want her to be furious."

Kayya nodded, and she and Zeinara exchanged mischievous glances Ettoras didn't understand. Zeinara then went to the door, and Ettoras didn't have a chance to ask further questions: Kayya pushed his robes back and closed her mouth on his cock. Ettoras sputtered as she started sucking him with wild abandon, drooling and licking and kissing his shaft, dragging her light little tongue along his veins. He frowned as her head went up and down in his lap, and as she pleasured him with lips and tongue, he pulled the tie on her shoulder strap and watched as her dress fell in a heap around her naked body. God, Kayya was beautiful. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her naked, but the sight of her jiggling breasts made him harder.

As Kayya was sucking Ettoras, he was barely aware of Zeinara's voice as she spoke to the guards at the door. In a daze of pleasure, he placed his big paw on the back of Kayya's head and pushed himself deeper through the wetness and heat of her mouth. His enormous shaft choked her as it slid in, pushing her cheeks up in her eyes, until her long lashes were pressed tight together. But she continued to suck, gurgling on her own drool as his paw guided her head up and down. He was aware of her buttocks rocking up and down over the heels of her little feet as his paws guided her head. Her tail was lashing with the strain of sucking something so large. He wanted to stop her, but he could feel himself coming, and she didn't seem inclined to stop: her little paws clutched his thighs as if she would never let go, and the nails cut into his fur.

Ettoras heard a gasp. He looked up to see Yeneneshe standing in the doorway, her eyes popping and her mouth open wide. Behind her, Zeinara was smiling triumphantly.

Kayya heard the gasp as well and her ear pricked forward. She pulled her mouth free of Ettoras' cock, a string of spit clinging between the head of his phallus and her lip. Smiling at Yeneneshe, she dragged the tip of her tongue up the shaft of his cock to the head. Ettoras shivered with pleasure and stroked Kayya's mane as she went back to sucking him. She gave him a wild tongue bathing, licking all the cum away without pausing. Ettoras gritted his teeth, trying not to climax a second time and painfully aware that Yeneneshe was watching it all, infuriated.

"How does that feel?" Zeinara said quietly to Yeneneshe.

Yeneneshe turned as if to leave, her face furious and red, but Zeinara quickly grabbed her arm.

"Let go of me!" Yeneneshe wailed indignantly.

Zeinara's lips tightened when Yeneneshe squirmed to get away. "Oh, no you don't!" she shouted through her fangs, grappling to keep a hold of the white vixen. "You're going to watch this - look at them!" Zeinara grabbed Yeneneshe by the arms and snatched her around, forcing her to face what was happening.

Yeneneshe fell still, watching in a silent rage as Kayya sucked Ettoras with wild abandon. Ettoras was enjoying to so well, his cock was dripping, ready to release a second time. Yeneneshe let loose a furious scream that made Zeinara laugh.

"I said let go!" Yeneneshe growled. She snapped herself free of Zeinara and had almost stormed from the room when Zeinara grabbed her arm again. Yeneneshe glanced down at the paw on her arm, then glared at Zeinara, and there was a blatant threat in her eyes. "Let go of me," she hissed.

Zeinara's fingers only tightened. "You ever fuck around on my brother again," she said in a low whisper, "and this isn't all I'll do to you."

Yeneneshe looked in Zeinara's eyes a long time, and after realizing the threat was real, she snatched her arm free and turned dramatically from the room, mane and tail streaming. Zeinara watched her go, then turned back to Ettoras and Kayya, who were pulling apart.

Zeinara dabbed Kayya's face clean and helped her get dressed. Ettoras stood nearby, rubbing his arm and not quite knowing what to say. "You didn't have to do that to Yen," he said after a while.

"She deserved it," Zeinara said with a sneer, though her eyes were fixed on Kayya's dress as she tied it back on for her.

Kayya's long lashes were angled down as she stood patiently, allowing Zeinara to dress her.

"I did nothing but try to make her feel welcome here," Zeinara went on angrily, "and she repaid me by fucking the enemy! And . . ." She glanced sheepishly at Ettoras and cleared her throat. "You're my brother." She muttered under her breath, "No one hurts my brother."

Ettoras smiled and still didn't know what to say. "See you at breakfast," he said and turned away.

"Hurry and get changed," Zeinara called after him. "You can't attend breakfast covered in blood." She laughed. "Though it would right make Sterling_squirm_."

Ettoras laughed as he was going out, but he stopped as if he'd remembered something.

"What is it, Ettoras?" Kayya asked, smoothing her paws back through her mussed mane.

Ettoras turned to face them again. "I heard Gallus talking with Mother out in the garden earlier," he said heavily. "She's going to try to wake Etienne."

"You mean Dad," Zeinara corrected.

"Etienne," Ettoras said darkly.

Zeinara rolled her eyes. "Fine. Have it your way - wait, she's going to what?"

Ettoras smiled again. "Thought that might interest you. You should stay clear of his quarters until it's done. I'm sure you'll be plenty busy with Prince Sterling now anyway . . . sorry, by the way."

Zeinara snorted. "Busy? No. Sterling wants to be king. He won't make trouble."

"Maybe not," Kayya cautioned, "but I'd keep an eye on that crazy sister of his. She loves her father dearly. She'll be furious when she finds out that Ettoras hurt him and you did nothing to punish him for it."

Zeinara folded her arms. "I'm not afraid of Ethelyn. This is_my_ castle."

Kayya shook her head in exasperation. "Don't be foolish! I'd have Ettoras put under guard, if I were you," she said, watching Ettoras anxiously. She looked at Zeinara, "And you should triple your own guard. Just in case."

Zeinara rolled her eyes. "You worry too much, Kay. Ethelyn and her brother both know they're in no position to do anything --"

"Really?" Kayya insisted. "Once Sterling is king, he can do what he wants, having your brother's head on a pike!" She gestured at Ettoras. "And Ethelyn is the reason Captain Franklin - the guy with super powers - is docile and behind bars. She could set him loose if she wanted to. Then he'd come up here and kill us all. And in the absence of an apparent heir, it would be more than easy for King Damon and his son to --"

"Alright, alright!" cried Zeinara, whose eyes were almost popping. "I'm sufficiently terrified! I guess it wouldn't hurt to triple the guard. I'll have Ethelyn escorted to the tower --"

"No, that would look bad. And possibly anger Poston," Kayya said at once.

Zeinara sighed and sat wearily on the edge of the bed. She looked at Kayya in amusement. "Why don't you just rule Varimore? Then maybe I can finally have that nap I've been after."

Kayya laughed and drew close to Zeinara, rubbing a soothing paw down Zeinara's golden mane and massaging her shoulder. Ettoras could see the affection in her eyes and knew that Kayya loved his sister deeply. He wished he could say Yeneneshe cared for him as much. It was suddenly ironic: Yeneneshe was supposed to have some magical tie to him, was supposed to be destined for him, and yet she had cheated on him in the most horrendous way; meanwhile, Zeinara and Kayya were forbidden to love each other simply because they were both female and of differing species . . . and they had the more mature and committed relationship. Kayya hadn't "cheated" on Zeinara by giving Ettoras oral pleasure. Technically, Kayya was still his wife: she was cheating on him with Zeinara.

Ettoras turned away and started out the door, wondering if he would ever get to be as happy as Zeinara. He was god-prince of a magical paradise in the sky and his mortal sister led the happier life. His sister was surrounded by love and affection, while he only felt left out in the cold. Now he'd lost Yeneneshe as well, and he felt more dismally alone than ever.

"Ettoras?" Zeinara called.

Ettoras glanced back. Zeinara was frowning with concern, looking at him with sympathy. She always seemed to sense his sadness, no matter how he tried to hide it.

Zeinara smiled. "It'll be alright."

Ettoras couldn't help but smile as well. As he went out the door, he suddenly realized that he did have a family: he had Zeinara.