The Idol of Giadral (Pt2)
Brurneo finds himself in a situation he never expected to in the second part of this story
The Idol of Giadral (Pt2)
By Whitepython
When the fox woke up, he looked around in confusion. He was hoping to find himself over the warm bondage table. Instead, he was laying over a cold and rough stone floor.
Upon further examination, he realized that he was in a large chamber. Seven wide openings on the left and another seven on the right worked as windows. An unnatural red sky could be seen through them along with dark tree branches that crawled into the chamber. The walls and floor were made of large blocks of stone covered in green moss, but the ceiling was a smooth and clean brownish surface. In front of the vulpine,there was some kind of stone throne over a three level dais that was placed in a diamond like shape. The rest of the front wall was covered in seven columns of stone carved on the wall which depicted several reptilian heads one over the other in the fashion of totems.
The Fox examined himself next to find his body naked. Withthe exception or a pair of metal ankle bands and wrist bands on his body. They wereheavy, coarse and rough. As if they were forged by a very primitive blacksmith.
Brurneo was trying to make sense about how on earth did he end up here. There was no jungle with a crimson sky anywhere in the country, let alone in the city.
The Fox was worried about how was he going to return home in time for work tomorrow, but his concerns were interrupted when a strange shadow began to materialize itself sitting on the strange stone throne. It was a blurry bipedal figure that began to take the shape of a long and slender lizard that was sitting on the throne.
The first thing he noticed was that the lizard's eyes were devoid of pupils and irises. They were two white orbs on a broad and black reptilian head.
The lizard-shapedbeing rested an elbow over the right armrest of the stone throne. His fingers were wrapped around his thick snoutwhere he leanedhis head. His upper back was leaning against the back of the stone seat, but his hips were resting almost at the edge of the stone furniture.
Both of his legs were spread wide and exposing a dick that looked even larger than the dick of the crocodile and similar attractive features: a triangular and heavy looking glansand a series of ribs along its length that enticed anyone to have a good ride. The reptile kept his other hand over his left thigh. His fingers were a couple of centimeters away from that dark gray colored meat.
His slender legs ended in a pair or large and clawed reptilian plantigrade feet, with four toes endowed with thick claws. Or at least that's how they looked in the mass of shadow that was materializing before the fox. The reptile reflected a dominant attitude with his body language.
There was something familiar about him, but the Fox wasn't able to put his finger on it. However, even with the familiarity, there was something unnatural about this. Brurneo decided the best was to turn tail and flee. The fox walked back while he faced the creature in the throne, but the metallic ankle bands became as heavy as a cargo freight. He was unable to move.
"Dinner is here. Nothing makes me happier than a slave with lots and lots of willpower to fight me back." A strong masculine voice came from the dark creature with white eyes.
"W... who are you?!" Brurneo cried in confusion. Monsters that materialized from the shadows was something that happens in movies.
"You are a mammal. That means that you were born a slave. I don't have any reason to explain myself to you. However, you must know to whom you will be bowing down to."
Brurneo could feel his heart beating fast in uncertainty. He saw the strange shadow creature to pull his left hand away from his semi erected maleness. After that, he stretched his fingers to beckon the fox to come forward with his index finger.
The gesture activated the strange energies that were holding him in place to now drag him towards the throne in a fast, but floating motion.
"During my lifetime I was once a mortal just like you." The entity spoke in satisfaction once the vulpine found himself on the dais and standing half a meter away from his captor. "But I was also a half demon. I found myself wounded and at the end of my life in a battle many centuries ago. Demons took mercy on my soul to honor my services on enslaving mammals such as you during my mortal lifetime. Now I live through the ages recruiting reptiles to serve me and fetch for me non-reptiles for me to thrive on their willpower and intelligence."
The Fox was able to feel the strange energies holding him to lose their grip as the metallic bands around his ankles lightened. The vulpine was able to see that the black mass that formed that body took a realistic scale texture. It was like he was standing before a flesh and bone blackscaled lizard.
"I used to have another name when I was a mortal, but now you must address me as Lord Giadral."
When he looked up into the creature's face, he spotted that familiar thing he had tried to figure out. He looked so much like his ex-lover.
The thoughts of the Foxwere thrown into chaos. Brurneo felt slapped at the back of the head in confusion. He tried to make sense out of this. Was this shadow playing tricks with him? Was this being even a shadow? Shadows weren't supposed to appear and become solid bodies.
"I can sense a lot of willpower in you. You should last me a lot more than the feline. I give him no more than three more sessions before his mind is broken for good. He's nothing but a light snack compared to you. When I'm finished, the rest of your life will disappear from your mind. Your only care in the world will be to beg for permission to lick between my toes when you aren't busy sucking off my crocodilian servant."
Brurneo always wanted his ex to be rough, dominant and imposing in bed, but this was way too much. There was no way the fox would allow his shining career and life plans to be foiled, so he ends up in the service of some metaphysical shadow and some chubby crocodile. As the fox crawled away from the throne, he felt his belly growing tense and his fingertips tingling. However, Giadral only had to stretch his right hand just like he did earlier to hook the vulpine from his gear and drag him back towards his throne.
After the sudden tug, the Foxfound himself laying on his back and enveloped in darkness. He tried to move and open his eyes, but something cool was covering his face. He couldn't move at all. His ankles and wrist were held by the bindings which increased their weight a thousand-fold times.
Something smooth was grinding against his face and snout in an alternated back and forth motion for a couple of moments. He tried to shake his head, but the thing over his face wasn't allowing him to make much movement.
A tunnel of light opened before the fox and he saw those white eyes staring into his own from a distance. Brurneo realized that he was on the floor and the lizard shadow was using his face to wipe his thick scaled soles along it.
"I bet you are feeling now the way you were meant to, slave."
The Fox shook his shoulders and hips in an attempt to escape from the strange power pinning him down to the floor. The shadow being observed him with a wide grin that displaying an array of white fangs.
"Fight me all you want." Giadral spoke from the top "This is just what I need." The lizard cupped the fox's head between his dark soles and gave it a few squeezes before grinding his toes against the fox's maw. Brurneo was about to launch a vicious bite against those toes when he noticed that the lizard kept on growing inlikeness to his ex-lover.
"You... you are not him!" The Fox decided in the last moment to complain instead of biting. He decidedthat whatever sort of magic this reptile had, it could take a dark turn if the fox wounded the reptilian figure.
After a moment more of fighting those clawed feet with his squirming, the strange energy that paralyzed him disappeared. The vulpine felt his body regaining movement once more.
"Who am I not?" the reptile on the throne inquired. "Get on your knees and place your head on my crotch and tell me."
The Fox considered to escape at once, but he decided to play a trick instead. He placed his hands on the reptile's knees. They felt cool to the touch and endowed with thick bones under those smooth scales. He moved his head towards that crotch, but at the last moment he turned back and began to run away from the stone throne.
Brurneo forced his legs to run as fast as possible. He hoped to escape the strange magic with the power to manipulate him like a doll. Maybe it had a certain field or limit that he could escape. After a moment of running towards some kind of framed entrance with more dark trees and crimson sky, the Foxfelt dizzy for a second. He didn't allowthis to stop him.
As he kept on running, he noticed that he was about to crash against the lizard in the throne. The Foxalmost stumbled when he tried to stop.
The lizard made his next move. He rose the tip of his tail and aimed the very tip towards the fox. Brurneo saw in shock as the tip spread, and two more tips emerged from it. It was three tail tips that wiggled in the air before they pounced the fox.
Brurneo was built to think, but not to fight and run. Not after the effort he made just now.
The next thing he realized was that the three tails were wrapped around his neck, like a collar. Brurneo was sure now that this creature of darkness was not his ex-lover at all. His ex wasalways so tame. He wouldn't have this kindof bizarre skills.
After the strangeattack, a soft tingling began from the back of his neck and spread over his head like a helmet. The sensation left a soothing and relaxing wave. The Foxfelt like he was ready to relax and sleep.
The next thing the Foxrealized was that he was on his knees before the throne. And that large reptilian meat flopping over his cold nose and slender muzzle.
That dick looked as real as the scales on the shadow's skin did. It was swollen and protruding out of a genital slit. It felt cool over his face,and it released an enticing masculine scent which invaded him as he panted. It was alluring enough to keep his moistnose glued to the cold meat.
The Fox felt his heartbeat to increase along with the temptation to give it a lick right away, but he knew that there was something pretty dark about this. This reptile had the intentions to disguise himself as his former lover to enslave him and to do the same thing he did to Viarul the cheetah. He couldn't submit.
He had to stop this strange being from his dominant intentions.
The reptile lowered his right hand to hold his erected cock by the base. With this movement, he rubbed his fat triangular-like glans along the white snout and chin of the vulpine.
The Fox tried to distract himself from the growing temptation to suck off his fake ex-lover right away. He remembered the tail that attacked him. The Fox placed his hands over his neck when he spotted the appendage dancing behind the sitting lizard. But he was still able to feel something cold around his neck.
"Open wide Foxproperty. I'll feed your inner desire for slavery and submission. You will quench my thirst for the free will and intelligence of inferior creatures such as you. Give it a lick. Enjoy every single second of it. I command you."
No matter how much the Foxwanted to have a go with that delicious looking meat, he couldn't submit to the reptile with sinister intentions. He couldn't do it if the lizard looked like the person he disliked the most.
Brurneo pulled his head back. This released his lips and his nose from the masculine presence of that meat, but the item around his neck made his head tingle once more. He felt lightheaded. When he placed his hands around his neck, he was able to feel some sort of collar that felt as cold as the lizard did. He closed his eyes for a moment in an attempt to clear his mind.
"What is it Fox property? Still resisting your imminent fate?" the fox opened his eyes and saw the lizard painting a mocking grin on his muzzle. He also felt those fingers which were cool and pleasantto the touch caressing him. The fingers were drenched in the same pre-semen and masculine musk that was also present on his facial fur after having that triangular glans stroking his snout.
This was what the fox always wanted. But he couldn't take it under the threat that he was going to lose everything to become a mindless sex drone for all the dominant reptiles in town. But was that it? Was there any other reason why he couldn't submit to the dark reptile? Maybe it was because he couldn't still forgive his ex. He disliked him too much. He had to resist this insult to his emotions.
"You look so much like my ex-lover. He was a lizard just like you. I hate him and I dislike you for looking like him!"
The shadow on the throne released a mocking laugh before returning his hand to grope his dark gray reptilian maleness. "I'm taking this form because I know you dislike that particular reptile. I cannot tolerate slaves that don't demonstrate their rightful place towards the reptilian kin. Mammals must bow down to every single reptile. We were born superior to you."
"That's nonsense!" Brurneo sounded annoyed by that explanation "It's hot to submit to reptiles in bed, but just in the bedroom."
"Sexual obedience is just one of the many aspects of the servitude that slave species such as you must provide."
"That's wrong!"
"Is it? Allow me to show you that you are the wrong one..."
Brurneo was afraid that the reptile would pull a rougher trick on him with the strange binding magic. However, Giadral kept on fondling his dark gray and ribbed dick before it began to sway before the fox like a sinuous tentacle. The lizard pulled his hand back to reveal that moving cock. It danced before his green vulpine eyes in an attempt to get his attention.
The cock swung side to side. Brurneo was confused at how was that even possible. But soon his confusion became a soft daze as the dick kept on moving left to right and to repeat its sway over again.
From the back of his mind,the mild tingling caused by the collar began to happen once more. Brurneo tried to look away, but his head panned as his eyes followed the enticing meat. Brurneo felt like his mind was traveling into another dimension. He felt surrounded by a soft and warm nothingness that caressed him from the tip of his ears, all the way down to the pads of his toes.
He felt as if his consciousness was sucked out of his body through the strange dick. His mind was getting lost in the power of the lizard.
"Take a good look at my cock. Take a deep breath and relax. You feel so compelled to follow my maleness dance before you no matter how heavy your head feels and how much your eyes attempt to close on their own. That's natural. Let it be, but keep your attention here. You don't have a reason to hold ill thoughts about your reptilian overlords. You must love every single reptile you meet. They are your true masters and the ones able to execute the right control over your life. Control you can't achieve because you were born a slave. You were born a mammal..."
The Fox released a soft yawn as those words traveled to the back of his mind. He closed his eyes for a moment, but he opened them again as soon as he noticed that he was drifting off. He had to look at that gray meat. His muscles weren't responding to him, and that felt so nice to allow it to be. His neck moved with grace. He made no effort as he followed that dick. The last traces of the scent of that masculinity were still lingering in his muzzle fur.
It was so hard to think about who he was or what was going on before he began admiring such masculine tool. The Fox blinked in an attempt to focus his thoughts on his current situation, but remembering was so difficult. What was the thing he was trying to stop from happening?
His logic became atrophied. Whatever was being said to him became hard to understand. The reptile spoke to him. His words were a smooth background music that suppressed his slimming and logic thoughts.
The last thing the Foxremembered was leaning face first against the reptile on the throne right before his eyes shut down.
Brurneo wasn't sure for how long he was lost in that mindless experience. He regained some control when the sensation of something stuck in his maw that felt cool and thick. Anothersimilar sensationwas around his groin. This helped Brurneo to hook himself back into his body.
When Brurneo the fox managed to break free from the alluring experience, He realized that he was sucking onthe lizard's cock. He lowered his hands to feel up what was placed over his crotch. He realized that those dark clawed feet were caressing his sides, his tummy, and his sheath.
That throbbing meat felt like he was sucking on a lukewarm Popsicle. It was thick enough for the vulpine's tongue to have a hard time exploring it with his wide tongue.
Even if Brurneo was returning to have control of his own mind, the fox sucked around that meat for a moment more. His own cock was rock hard and leaking pre against those scaly feet which teased his body. Brurneo felt devoid of his initial resistance even if he was back to full consciousness. He consented his most basic instincts and submitted to the desire of the reptile.
But that could not be!
The fox managed to collect his scarce inner willpower to pull his muzzle back from that thick reptilian meat. He pushed it out of his maw with his tongue and released a heavyseries of panting. He could feel the heavy glare of the reptile over him. He looked up,and his eyes met those white eyes devoid of irises.
"You can't force me to become your slave!" Brurneo complained even if his eyes returned to that maleness and the fire of his belly burnt. He lusted after that reptilian rod soaked in saliva and pre-semen.
"Oh, but you are a slave. I'm removing your pointless intelligence and free will through your own resistance and helping you realize the truth. You should forgive your former lover and stop resisting me. Enjoy yourself, that way I can enjoy my meal at a slower pace, and you also spend more time enjoying your submission to the ones superior to you."
"I cannot forgive him! I wanted him to be dominant in bed, and he refused to. I tried to make him happy in other areas of life." The Fox didn't want love anymore. Brurneo didn't want to grant forgiveness. All he wanted was to feel superior to that reptile.
"What if he wasn't really dominant? It's a shame when reptiles don't understand their superiority over mammals, but it happens."
"When I met him he said he was dominant."
"Perhaps he lied to make you happy."
"I don't care now. I hate him for not doing what he was meant to do."
"There's no forgiveness in your heart then?" the reptile shook his head in disapproval "It doesn't matter. I'll get it out of your mind along with your own willpower and intelligence. You will forget everything,so you don't have to worry about your former lover anymore. -Nor anything else in your life-"
"What? Leave me alone." The Fox demanded in fear of having his thoughts gone without return.
"Shhhhhhhh my little prey. Come to me..." the black lizard released a wide grin. His arms stretched open, and hisdick began to dance once more. "It's time to submit to your dominant lizard lover like you always wanted. Don't resist. You were upset because you couldn't have this. Now your warm-hearted master will grant it to you for eternity."
Brurneo closed his eyes and turned his head away. He knew that if he were to stare at that cock again, his body would stop to respond to him and his mind would float away once more. This time the dark creature had promised to make it last forever. It was pointless to run because he could still feel those large clawed feet over his lap.
The Fox could hear a mocking laugh coming from the creature before him. Then, he was able to feel a hand stroking his chin and the top of his head.
"This is what I like about you. So much willpower. You are quite the special prey my Foxproperty. I am going to enjoy it so much when you are broken down and subdued before me. Sucking my toes with your tail splattered in my seed."
The strange tingle from around his neck that traveled all the way to the top of his head appeared. The vulpine held his breath as he tried to resist and remain in control. But instead of feeling like he was knocked out, he stayed in control of his own thoughts.
"Keep your eyes closed just like you are doing now. You have seen my induction technique once. -You will see it in your mind for the rest of your days-"
Brurneo was confused by those words as the reptile spoke. "Allow your imagination to see once again your new owner's dick swaying side to side. Allow it to move before your face like it did a moment ago. There's no need for you to worry. Let your imagination run wild. As wild as your libido and bring that moment you enjoyed so much to be looped into your mind over and over again. Keep your eyes closed and see my dick swaying before you. Allow it to take you into complete slavery."
Brurneo took all the suggestions given by the reptile on the throne. His imagination ran wild. He could see the picture painted by the words of the reptile. That gray cock was swaying before him. Beckoning him to lower his mental resistance and to submit. The alluring meat that he closed his eyes to escape from was now attacking him from the deepest corner of his own mind.
He had to get away! He had to do something before his own imagination became his doom.
The Fox shook his head to try to clear his mind from the image before opening his eyes. However, as soon as his head relaxed from the shake, that gray reptilian dick jumped into his field of vision. His mind became hooked into its swaying path.
The collar around his neck produced that strange mind numbing sensation. It was like his thoughts were sucked down the drain where they would never be found again.
The fox licked his chops. His own cock leaked a line of pre-semen as that cock moved before him. But he couldn't do this. He had to find a way toclear his mind. He tried to think. Thinking was so hard, but he had to think before it became impossible to do so once again. This creature mentioned earlier that he enjoyed his mental resistance. He had to stop feeding the creature with his resistance. How could he do such thing?
By forgiving his ex? Maybe if he could forgive that lizard he could escape, but he was never going to concede pardon, and that was his final decision. Besides, this shadow creature wasn't even his former lover. There was no need for such thing. The Fox placed his hands on the floor and pulled himself away from the reptile. He was ready to escape.
Brurneo felt a sudden energy tingling from the collar. A sudden desire that invited him to bury his face againstthat reptilian crotch overcame him. His orange face fell to the suggestion. That moving cock wrapped around his muzzle to keep him pressed against the reptile on the throne.
Pulling back was so hard. To make an effort to conceive any kind of thought was an immeasurable challenge. After a moment of being stuck against that crotch, his muzzle was freed just to have his lips greeted by the creature's dark gray and heavy glans.
The Fox knew he was supposed to find something illogic about this. But what is logic again? His tongue and that gray maleness met and embraced each other.
There was no time to think now. It was time to give pleasure.
Brurneo lowered his white and orange face up and down along that meat as the dick explored his warm insides and rough palate. The reptilian figure arched his back to give the fox more of his meat to suck. And the vulpine sucked away.
Giadral was now in charge.
"That's it my Fox property. No more resistance now. I absorbed it all. I'll let you recover again, but it won't be as much as you once used to have. Next time we meet,I'll get it all again, and it will decrease just like it did now. We will repeat it over and over again until you bow down to every reptile you find. With your new lack of resistance, you'll be nothing but a mindless fuck toy for my kin. Also, after a couple of sessions, you'll return to your former lover. You'll apologize to him and bring him to my crocodile servant. He will arrange my meeting with him, so I can teach him the ways of a real reptile."
The dark lizard placed his hands around the sides of the fox's head and pulled him back. Those eyes without a pupil focused on his green colored ones. The Fox felt lured to sit on the lap of his new master. A sudden urge coming from his gut made him obey.
Giadral placed his hands over the fox's pectorals and used his fingertips to tease his nipples. The vulpine closed his eyes and released a soft sound of pleasure as his cock throbbed in response. Those hands then went down and stroked his slim furred belly. The reptile began to shift his hips under him. Brurneo knew what was going to happen next.
That cock he has spent so much time getting lost into and worshipping with his tongue was now sliding under his tail.
The Fox could feel the reptile's tail placing a pair of loops around his waist. His arms ended up pinned to his sides before the shadow creature went all in without too much of a warning.
That same physical force used to restrain Brurneo now kept him subdued by the tail. Giadral rammed his smooth and cool shiny hips against the vulpine's rear. Brurneo decided to raisehis tail high and spread his legs wide. He enjoyed all of this as he felt the reptile provided him a rough pounding.
Brurneo could see the chamber walls bouncing up and down as the lizard rammed against his rear. His nose lingered in the scent of the masculine presence of the lizard as it mixed with his own musk. Both beings demonstrated domination and submission.
The firm grip of the tail around his waist and arms felt the same way his mind was feeling; subdued to the will of the shadow-like lizard. He felt pleasured by the triangular glans as it went in smooth and spread him on its way out. His prostate delivered never ending waves of pleasure every time it was caressed by that textured maleness. The pleasure increased further every time the vulpine took that meat all the way to its thick base.
Everything around Brurneo shifted. Perhaps the reptile had risen from his throne because he increased his speed after such move. The Fox felt thosecold hands wrapping around his shoulders as the tail held him by his waist.
"Let yourself go." Brurneo's master spoke "All your resistance is gone. No point in fighting. Cumfor your master. Let your most basic instincts run wild. Be a good fuck toy for your reptilian superiors."
The Fox could feel his body pretty warmed up from the constant ramming against his buttocks, yet the reptile felt as cold as when he first touched him. After taking countlessminutes of that gray ribbed shaft, the Foxcould feel his whole body tensing. The last thing the mindless Fox felt was a wave of orgasmic pleasure coming from between his legs before passing out in the grip of his master.
* * * * * * *
The very next thing that Brurneo noticed were some familiar surroundings after managing to recover his thoughts. The very first thing his body noticed was something still stuck under his tail. He tried to move,but it was stuck deep inside of him. He released a soft groan, but he also noticed that it felt different from the cock of his master.
The vulpine shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind enough to understand what was going on.
His ears cleared up next after his mind. A soft purring filled his vulpine ears. It was a sound that came from somewhere nearby.
The Fox stretched his legs and found the strange sensation under his tail to remain there. His hands moved down as he felt his surroundings. Soft fur and a warm body was presented against his padded hands
Brurneo regained enough control of the rest of his muscles to look around him and notice that he was back in the bondage room. He was back on the table where he slipped out. But between the table and himself, there was Viarul. And he was mounted over cheetah's cock.
The crocodile was holding the strange statue a meter or two away from his face as the reptile looked at him with a broad grin of satisfaction
The Fox could smell and feel his chest fur matted in his own seed, but he could also smell the scent of a new semen in the mix.
When Augusclesh walked back to put the statue over one of the bondage racks with sex toys, he displayed his spent shaft leaking a thin line of semen. It was evident for the vulpine to tell where the fresh semencame. When the fox licked his own chops, the strong flavor that filled his tongue matched the scent of that semen over his chest. This helped him to deduce how that mess came to be.
"Master Augusclesh accepts you as his worthless slave." The crocodile spoke before drawing a wide, toothy grin and patting the top of the fox's head "and Lord Giadral has also accepted you. He's had me looking for someone such as you for a while now."
A strong desire to return with the strange reptile was lit on his gut when the crocodilian mentioned the lizard in the statue.
-He needed to go back to that lizard and keep on fighting him. - He had to show him that he was a strongFox and hedidn't need to grant forgiveness to anyone. But forgiveness to who? He knew something important was missing from his life,but he wasn't sure what it was.
"I... I need to go back and..."
"Silence!" Kharrox spoke with a demanding voice tone "Inferiors such as you have no right to make demands of their reptilian superiors. You will see the master whenever I want you to."
"Pl... please, I need to..."
Brurneo tried to stand up, but the feline wrapped his strong and athletic arms around his chest, pinning his arms to his sides. The feline arched his back and allowed that barbed dick to thicken inside the vulpine. Brurneo released a sound mixed with pleasure and frustration. Auguscleshsmiled in approval before patting the cheetah on the head.
"When you are a good and obedient boy just like him I might consider it."
Brurneo struggled for a moment, but he couldn't resist the idea. Maybe he could come up with a cleverplan later, but his mind wasn't able to focus. It was easier to do whatever felt the best at the time and not even mess with logic. His most basic instinct was to submit to his reptilian overlords
"I... yes master."
The crocodile unwrapped the arms of the feline from around the Fox and pulled him up. The vulpine released a sharp sound of pleasure as the barbed meat left his hole in a swift motion. Brurneo could feel the hot seed of his work partner to leak out of his hole and run along his legs. Viarul the Cheetah stood up and bowed down before the reptile.
Brurneo was unsure about what to do now. But mirroring the cheetah was the first and only thing he could think of. The fox found his knees weakening before he fell before the largecrocodile.
Augusclesh presented his large feet before the fox and the cheetah. The feline wasted no time to bury his face against one of those clawed feet. The fox found any kind of resistance absent after he pressed his face against the other thick scaled foot. He submitted himself to his life of slavery to reptiles. His sluggish mind wasn't sure if this was his biggest dream fulfilled or if things have always been like this.