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Honor Thy Mother

by pyrostinger

Breathless, the two ran, one in front of the other. The smaller female had her skirt up for two reasons; so her legs didn't get tangled, and to hold the berries almost tumbling out of it. Likewise, the male held many apples clutched to him, dropping one or two as they ran pell-mell through the countryside, the shouts of the irate farmer slowly growing into the distance. Finally, they slipped behind an abandoned shed, and sat down, their chests heaving. It was some time before either of them drew enough breath to speak, and when they did, laughter bubbled up in place of words.

Exhilaration poured out of them in peals of mirth, clutching onto their stolen treasure before the struggle to gain breath took them again, exhausted but happy. "Wow... we haven't done that in ages, sis," said the male badger, his head flopping over to look at his compatriot.

She grinned back at him, nodding. "I know, Sasha... that was fun!"

Still grinning, Sasha threw an arm around his sister's shoulder, tugging her in tight. They were both a little on the thin side, wan and underfed. "Yeah... plus, I think with this and whatever we can find, we should do well for food on our way to Fairwind! So what do you say to that, Kriss?"

"Let's eat," was the only thing that came from the younger badger's mouth before she put words to action, a pawful of berries being stuffed into her mouth. Her older brother paused long enough to chuckle and ruffle her head, being rewarded with one of Kriss's bright, shining smiles as he took a bite into one of the apples.

--x--

The city of Fairwind was thought to be a model of its kind, even up to as long as 20 years ago. However, in those scant twenty years, many things had changed. Duke Terase Vandevor, long thought to be the wisest ruler the city had ever known, was struck down by a sudden disease that claimed his first-born son as well. The mantle passed to his second-born son after the next in line, Duke Terase's first daughter Drelia, was exiled for reasons unknown. It was whispered in the taverns that the new Duke, Reginald Vandevor, had ambition that surpassed only by his incompetence. However incompetent he might be, he did swell the size of the city guard, if only to enforce his rulings.

The city suffered under the rule of Duke Reginald. Buildings became run down, the slums expanded, as did crime, more people numbered themselves among the poor. It was under these circumstances that the two badgers found the city of Fairwind. Most of their first day was spent looking for a place to stay. And their second. And third. For their first week, they spent it out of doors, none of the places accepting their coin. "All full up," was the constant refrain.

Kriss looked up at the sky as they settled down one night, pulling the rough blanket tighter around her body. The weather was starting to feel the chill of fall, and the sea breeze did not help things in the slightest. Away from the noise and bustle of the city, she was better able to think.

"Hey, Sasha?"

"Mm?"

"Where's Momma? You said she'd be here, right? How come we couldn't stay with her?"

From where she lay, she couldn't see her brother's face, which was probably well enough for her. Sasha started to speak, hesitated, and then started again. "She... had somewhere else to go, Kriss. Don't worry; we'll see her in Fairwind when she gets here. She'll be looking for us."

"You sure?"

"Mmhm."

The smaller badger was quite for a moment more, before speaking up. "I hope something didn't happen to her. You'd tell me if it did, right? If you knew?" This time, she sat up and looked at Sasha, whose eyes remained solidly on the fire.

"She's fine, sis. I'm sure of it."

Slowly, she nodded, and then settled down again. "Do you remember that time when Momma baked me that big cake for my birthday? She tried to hide it from me, but I knew what my nose told me. You were in on it too, Sasha. I remember that you took me far from the house to the creek, and we played until the afternoon. And then, when we got back, she showed me the cake, all done up with decorations and berries, and then gave me that doll that I loved so much."

"I remember, Kriss," Sasha said, leaning back and looking up at the sky.

"I miss her."

"Me too. Get some rest, though. Okay?"

Kriss nodded, stifling a yawn. "Okay." A few moments after, Sasha heard her soft snores.

--x--

Taking his hat off politely, Sasha smiled, hopeful that perhaps he might have more luck here. "Hello. My name is Sasha," he said to the woman by the bar. "I was wondering if you had any jobs available?"

The woman looked the badger up and down over her prominent bust, then chuckled. "Yer not from 'round here, are ye?"

Sasha sighed, slumping his shoulders. "I know it seems queer for me to come here to ask for a job... but I've gone to many other places and nobody's wanted to hire me. And really, I'll do whatever you need done around, I'm very handy." He looked up hopefully at the heavyset sheep.

She smirked, shook her head a bit, then spoke. "M'name's Darla. An' Ah'll go git th' boss fer ye, see what she sez." Before she left, however, she spent sizing the badger up, another un-lady like chuckle leaving her while she headed deeper into the building. Left alone in the room, Sasha looked around. It was one of the prettier places he'd been to in Fairwind, but he supposed that the reason was that it was a house of pleasure. Still, it almost didn't make sense to him how well kept the place was until he saw the owner.

She almost glided in, wearing pants that seemed more suited to men's fashion, yet she wore them conformed to her body, making them undeniably feminine. Notched around them was a leather belt, the buckle gleaming golden. Most curious about her was that she wore a vest and a vest only, a dark red color that matched her pants, that showed off the black tattoos that criss-crossed her arms from wrist to shoulder. She raised an eyebrow, cleared some of her black hair from her eyes, and looked back at Darla behind her. "This is him? The boy you were talking of?" she asked, and while Darla nodded, Sasha was again struck by the fact that she had no fur. All she had was some sort of smooth, blood red skin, crossed with stripes of black, including one over her muzzle. As she further advanced, the badger also made note that she walked barefoot.

She looked him up and down critically, and Sasha got the strange impression that her black, pupil-less eyes were staring through him. It made him feel intensely uncomfortable, and he shifted from one foot to the next as Darla joined the mysterious woman, crossing her arms under her breasts.

"So. Sasha, was it?" she asked, her voice seeming unusually deep, yet melodic. He nodded dumbly. "And you want a job here... or a job somewhere." Again, Sasha nodded. "But you're here now, and want a job." She watched Sasha move his head up and down again in silent assent, a smirk appearing at the edge of her face. "Darla tells me you consider yourself quite handy. Tell me, what do you offer to a house of ill repute?"

"Oh! Well, I can cook... and, uh, I can clean, definitely. Oh, and I can build things. Yeah. I can help out with... with whatever you may need me to help out with."

Something about what he said made her eyebrows twitch, and the budding smile on his muzzle started to fade. "Is that so?" she asked, but before he could answer she held out a hand. "You may call me Mistress Shiya. I have some affairs to take care of as of right now, but you're in luck. I think I may have a job for you. Come back tomorrow before noon, and we'll discuss this in more detail, you and I."

The smile returned to Sasha's muzzle, and nodding eagerly, he turned to go. Mistress Shiya stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Darla, on my desk is my pouch, go get that?" The sheep nodded, and returned a moment later with a leather pouch. The badger was confused at the clanking before he saw the two twenty-five florin pieces retrieved, and then held out to him. "You look like somebody who could use a little bit of spoiling," Shiya told him.

Sasha started to reach out, and then pulled back his hand. "I-I can't, Mistress Shiya. I haven't earned anything yet."

"Now now, I insist. Go on, take it." She took his hand and pressed the two large, flat gold pieces into his palm, before closing his fist over it. "Consider this an advance on your salary. In the meantime, buy yourself something nice to eat."

"Y-yes, ma'am! Thank you, ma'am!" Nodding and smiling, he stumbled out, taking off at a run through the streets. Shiya smirked a bit before returning to her affairs.

--x--

"She just gave them to you?" asked Kriss in disbelief, her forkful of mince pie halfway to her mouth.

Sasha nodded energetically, but actually swallowed before he spoke. "Yeah... fifty whole florins! We should be able to stay in this inn for a whole week!"

"You mean we can have mince pie for a whole week?" The look of joyful amazement on her face was infectious, and soon Sasha was smiling, too.

"Yeah, sis. A whole week. Plus, I feel really good about this place... If Mistress Shiya hires me, hopefully we'll be able to find a place to stay." The badger reached over and embraced his sister, hugging her around her shoulders as she wriggled happily. "Think, sis. We could live in a real, live city! On my off days, I could take you to see the Thames tower, or maybe even the Biological museum... we could even see performances they put on at the city square on Market Day! And we wouldn't have to travel all day just to see them!"

Kriss squealed in happiness, and she was quickly spurred to prattle on about all the new and interesting things they could do, as residents of Fairwind. Chuckling, Sasha could only enjoy the antics of his sister as she babbled on and on, then realized that her mince pie was getting cold and trying to eat that as fast as possible, almost choking herself in the process.

--x--

He felt like he had to be cautious. Even as he approached her, he steeled himself for the worst, wondering, which Mother would he see? She was just outside, putting up the clothes to dry that he had washed. Earlier, she had berated him, demanding to know why he hadn't already done it. She had never asked him about it before. Still, with his heart pounding, he came closer, and flinched when he saw her ears flick back, noting his presence. She turned... and smiled. In relief, Sasha buried himself in his mother's arms, nuzzling to her cheek. She pulled him back to look at him, frowning, stroking over his head. "Sasha, what's wrong?"

He didn't know how to answer her. How can you tell your own mother that she hit you yesterday, beat you for being worthless, blaming you for things you had no idea that you did... and welcomed you into her arms the very next day? So, he said nothing, and simply nuzzled to her cheek, trying to stop the tears from falling.

She looked at him again, began to speak, then reconsidered what she was going to say. "Your sister is out back, right?" Sasha nodded. "Why don't you go get her, and I'll make us something to eat. You must be very hungry."

Nodding again, Sasha took off, getting his sister from the woods. They had a nice meal together, though at the end of it, their mother went to her room, saying she was tired, and closed the door. The door closed so much louder that day. Later, he could hear tears.

That was the last time Sasha saw his mother. What took her place... he didn't know.

--x--

Since she'd said "before noon," Sasha wasn't exactly sure when, exactly, to come. Mistress Shiya's house of pleasure ended up a short ten minute walk from where he and his sister stayed at the inn. And since he had woken up nearly at the crack of dawn thanks to a dream, he had a lot of time on his hands. Breakfast and a bath had taken up a few hours, especially to dry off Sasha's rather thick fur. But after giving Kriss a few books to entertain herself, he figured it wouldn't be too much if he showed up a few hours before noon.

Having cleaned up his clothing as best he could, he brushed off his shoulders before knocking on the door. There was no answer, so he knocked again, harder, since he heard some faint music. It wasn't until the third time that somebody actually opened the door. The badger blinked at the woman with long, black horns sprouting from her head. He didn't recognize her, but he was left to assume that she was one of the girls who worked here. "Well, hello there," she said, smirking down at him. "It's not often we have a customer here this early."

Sasha blinked, and then smiled a little. "Oh, no, you misunderstand. I'm not a customer."

The woman issued a throaty chuckle, and then stepped clear of the door. "Mmhm... sure you aren't, hun. Why don't you come in?"

"Thank you, but I really am not a customer," Sasha insisted as he walked past her into the large room from before. It was mostly the same, but there were some stray wine glasses, as well as a few boards of chess that seemed to have half-finished games on them. He turned and looked back at the strange almost-deer as she closed the door. "I'm actually looking for--"

"I know just what you're looking for," she said before grabbing his head and stuffing it in between her breasts. "You're lookin' for a little lovin', right? Let me guess... you're 'prenticed to somebody, but your master's takin' a snooze, so while he's sleepin', you thought you'd get some love from the best girls in Fairwind, right?" The deer-like woman gave Sasha an extra squeeze around his head, muffling his next words. "What's that sweety?" she asked, pulling his head back.

"I'm looking for Mistress Shiya!" Sasha managed to gasp out.

The woman pouted in a way that was almost cute. "Aw, honey... I'm sure I can satisfy you just as well. Here, I'll show you--on the house."

"But--!" the badger managed before he was pushed into a chair. The doe-like female had her hands at his breeches, unlacing them before he had a chance to protest. With a squeak of dismay, Sasha found his pants halfway down his thighs, and his most private portions exposed.

The doe pouted again. "Oh... this won't do," she said, and then nuzzled into Sasha's crotch, stirring his half full sheath to life. "A little better," she purred, her snout opening and dragging it across the furry holder and the exposed tip of his member. "Much better," she continued, stroking his shaft as it was opened to the air. "Hold still, hun; I'm gonna make you feel good."

For his part, Sasha couldn't tell how good it felt. Whatever this female was doing was completely outside the scope of his experience. All he knew was that a warm, flushed feeling was centering down on his private parts, and this woman - whoever she was - was stoking that fire to newer and greater heights. He didn't know what to do with his paws, flailing and grabbing at random things in an effort to hold on. His heart racing faster, he let out a sudden yelp, his eyes opening wide as she took him into her mouth. The doe giggled, pulling off of him and grinning. "Hold still," she told him, pressing down on his lap as she shuffled closer. Sasha managed to nod dumbly before she did it again, and he bit his lower lip trying to contain himself. The gentle suction she placed on his member was too much, though, and soon he felt himself letting go, dimly aware of his staff spurting, releasing his seed right into her surprised muzzle.

While surprised, the doe swallowed his spend, and then pulled off once more, grinning up at him. "As quick as a virgin... and to think that's just me giving you a Bezan Kiss." She moved up his body, straddling his lap with her dress covering her crotch, and shuffling closer to him, her hands pulling herself against him. Sasha felt himself acutely aware of her warmth, and her breasts mashing up against his chest. "I will give you anything you desire," she said in a sultry voice, "for the right price. I can do anything she can do. Are you sure you need to see Mistress Shiya?"

"Actually, he does."

The doe looked behind her once, dismissing it, then looked again suddenly. "Oh!"

Sasha's ears pressed flat against his head in embarrassment, heat relocating quickly from his loins to his face. "M-m-m..."

Uttering a chuckle low in her throat, the lizard shifted her weight from one side to the other, arms crossed under her bust. "Sylvia, why don't you help Sasha become decent again, mm?" Under Mistress Shiya's watchful gaze, the deer-ish femme helped Sasha put back on his breeches, setting him on his feet. Smirking, the lizard turned and started walking down the hall. "Come along, Sasha, let's talk business. It seems you've already had some pleasure." Sasha followed along, but not after looking behind him at Sylvia, who promptly blew him a kiss. He flushed and hurried faster.

Shiya lead him to a lavishly decorated office where he stopped in his tracks for a few moments to take in the sights. And blush some. Mistress Shiya seemed to be very open about sexuality in general, considering that she had various paintings and small statues depicting males and females in various compromising situations. Those with facial expressions emphasized the very height of bliss. While it was certainly embarrassing that he felt his body responding to the images all around him, it was only worse when he saw Mistress Shiya sitting behind the desk, hands folded in front of her, and smirking at him. She held out a hand, offering a seat that he quickly took, his own paws folded over his crotch in an attempt to hide that which was already seen.

"You wish to work here, is that correct?" Sasha nodded, his head lowered. "It seems I might have a position available for you, as a matter of fact. I used to have a personal assistant, but unfortunately, he will be out of town for a good long while. Of late, I've found it rather difficult to accomplish that which I need to get done, especially in a city such as Fairwind." Here, she snorted and shook her head lightly. "Regardless, I need a personal assistant. You need a job, and presumably a place to stay, considering that you're wearing the same thing as when you showed up the other day. And that's fine, Sasha," came her quick reassurance to the badger's subtle cringing. "Not everybody can afford a wash every day, or a different set of clothes everyday. That is fine. I do believe, however, that we can help each other here. Do you agree?" Once again looking up at her, there was a hopeful glance in his eyes as the badger nodded. "Good. I believe you can consider yourself hired then, Sasha. When can you start?"

Thinking for a moment, Sasha shrugged. "I... think I might be able to start today--"

"Excellent! Now, there are a few things I need for you to do to start out--"

"--but there's also my sister to consider..."

Shiya raised an eye ridge. "A sister?"

"Yes, well... I'm currently staying at a room at the Leaky Bucket Inn... and I just don't want to get back too late. You see, I promised her that I would take her to the Clockwork Gardens today. And I don't know when it closes."

Chuckling, Mistress Shiya rested her chin on her hands. "I think I might be able to help you with that, Sasha. In the meantime, I think it's best that we introduce you to the rest of the girls here; you'll be with them quite a lot in the coming days and weeks." Standing, she came from around the desk. Sasha stood too, and began to follow her from the room. "Oh, and before I forget... do try and forgive Sylvia for being so... forward. She's new here and is very eager to please. Now, come along."

Sasha tried to keep from blushing too hard... or from making the sudden flush in his breeches too obvious.

--x--

"This is YOUR fault!"

Every time he fell asleep, Sasha was treated to the same dream. He saw, in his mind's eye, his mother screaming at him, and all the while burning with the house. A beam from the ceiling crashed onto the floor, separating them with another layer of fire and black, oily smoke.

"This is ALL YOUR FAULT!" she would scream, in between wails of pain. "You! You made him leave! You made my Richard leave me! This is all your fault, Sasha!"

Another rending sound, and more of the house fell down, setting up more smoke and embers. He couldn't see her anymore. He coughed, trying to expel the vapors thrusting themselves into his lungs, waving away the oily blackness. Soot darkened his stripes and clothing as he called out to her again, hoping to get one remnant of the Mother he knew. "Mother! Mother! Can you hear me?" He knew already that she was gone, but the little boy in him.. the little boy who knew the love his mother had for him and his sister both, couldn't let go. She was his mother, and he couldn't leave her behind. "Mother, we have to go, the house is going to collapse!"

"GET OUT!" came her voice, as loud and as strong as ever. "Get out, you traitor! Get OUT!"

The book flapped open as it soared through the air, hitting him in the chest. Dazed, he looked confused at the slightly scorched book, looking out and calling for his mother again. She didn't answer. He screamed her name again and again, but she didn't respond. It was then that he knew he had to get out. He had to survive. He had to take care of Kriss. There was no one else. Feeling the burden settle heavy on his shoulders, he left the house.

When the house collapsed in on itself, he couldn't even hear her screams...

--x--

Slowly, the clockwork bird, with its "feathers" painted a burnished rust, spread its wings wide and gave a majestic call. After flapping its intricately constructed wings, the bird took to the air, flying in a circle before landing on a branch higher up, again calling out.

"Hey Sasha?"

"Mm?"

"You think the bird is callin' for her momma?"

Sasha opened his mouth to answer, and then closed it, thinking. It'd been a month since he started working at Mistress Shiya's place. It seemed to be the best thing that happened to him ever since he made this ill-fated trip to Fairwind. She paid generously, so much so that he had enough to pay for his own place to live, instead of constantly putting down weekly advances at the seedy inn. Mistress Shiya had even picked out the place personally, though she said it was primarily so that Sasha could be in easy reach.

Generosity aside, Sasha often felt that he earned his keep with the errands he was frequently sent on, especially when he had to learn the city on the fly. And it didn't help that sometimes, he was called on in the middle of the night. It was enough to make him seriously consider her still open offer of moving in with her... but for Kriss. He wanted, with all his heart, to protect his little sister.

"I don't know, Kriss," he answered her. "But it's really pretty to hear."

She agreed with a nod, then dragged Sasha over to another of the exhibits in the Clockwork Garden, one of the newer ones. They spent most of the day there, feeling like tourists in the city that had become their home. It was only when they were walking home that Kriss spoke again.

"Momma isn't coming to Fairwind, is she?"

The question stopped Sasha in his tracks. Kriss stopped with him, looking up at her taller brother. "Momma isn't coming to Fairwind... is she?" she repeated. When Sasha started sputtering, she placed a paw on his arm. "It's okay. I'm a big girl, Sasha. I'll be fifteen in another month... almost grown up."

Softly, Sasha sighed, and then started walking again. "Well... no, I don't think she is."

Kriss bit her lower lip for a moment. "Why not? Did something happen?"

"That's... that's hard to explain, Kriss," Sasha told her. "It's... it's complicated."

She nodded, and continued walking in silence for a while. "I miss her," she said.

"Me too, sis. I've missed her for a long time." With a light sigh, he curled his arm around his sister, pulling her in close. The wind picked up as well, and he tucked his longcoat to him tighter.

"Sasha?" said Kriss after a moment.

"Mmhm?"

"I've been thinkin'. Maybe we should move in with Mistress Shiya."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Sasha said immediately, his ears pulling back.

"I think it is. We don't have much stuff, so it won't be hard. 'Sides, you know how she wakes you up all the time when she needs something late at night, and you know how much that angers Miss Doris, the keeper. Don't you think it'd be easier on both of you?"

"Maybe, but--"

"'Sides, she's a really nice lady," Kriss continued on. "She even got me into a school, and I've never gone to school before."

"Well, yes, but... still..." Sasha tried to vocalize what he was thinking, but every time he tried, he faltered. "There's... I mean..."

"I know what she does."

Again the older badger stopped in his tracks, looking at his sister incredulously. "You do?" was the only thing he could manage after several minutes with his mouth hanging open.

Kriss nodded, looking at the ground. She started to scuff the pavement with a brand new shoe, another present from Mistress Shiya. "I asked her once and she told me. I didn't understand all of it, but she treated me like a big girl." The smaller girl risked a glance upward, and Sasha was struck by how tall she had become. Again, he was rendered speechless for a few moments, before he sighed.

"I guess you are a big girl, aren't you?" He smiled at his little sister, ruffling over her head.

She squirmed and looked up at him. "Mmhm. I bet I can beat you home, too!"

"Huh?"

But she was already off, calling back, "Last one there's a rotten egg!"

--x--

"What do you want to do, Sasha?"

The sudden words caused the badger to yelp and turn, half-sitting on the bed he was nearly finished making. That it was Mistress Shiya behind him caused his heart to beat no less rapidly, but for an entirely different reason. Her hair was tousled in a way that he had come to know well, working in a bordello, and the thought was only compounded as the corset she wore was slightly out of place, baring her bosom to his eyes. He could see also that the straps holding it up were around her shoulders instead of over them. A quick glance downward confirmed that there was no underwear to speak of. With his throat suddenly dry, he turned away from her, coughing.

All of this was met with a simple tilt to her head. "Are you well? Coming down with something?"

"N-no, mistress... you just scared me."

"Sasha, why do you turn away? I can see that you find me pleasing..."

In the seconds it took for the badger to process this information, he flushed, clapping his paws over his crotch, and then started to stammer in his embarrassment. Shiya cut him off. "No, no, don't worry about it. Where I come from, Sasha, we are not ashamed of the reactions of the body, because it is simply natural. You are pleased by my appearance, and you show it. Why be ashamed of yourself, of how you feel?"

His ears pressed against his head, the badger gestured vaguely to the lizard's clothing. She looked down. "Oh." A warm laugh bubbled from her lips, walking to the side and opening a closet. "I suppose that would be a distraction, wouldn't it?" she said while slipping on a robe. "Forgive me. I had just come from a customer... and I suppose you knew that, didn't you?" Smirking, she tightened it around her waist as he came back to him. "Still, you didn't answer my original question. What do you want to do?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, glancing back at her robed form before he turned to face her.

"With your life, Sasha. What do you want to be?"

Sasha started to speak, and then faltered. Frowning heavily, he thought for a while before shaking his head in a rather violent motion. "No, no... it... it doesn't matter. I want to be whatever I have to be in order to provide for my sister. That's what's most important to me." He looked down and away, still frowning. "I'm all she has left..."

He flicked his ears toward the sound of footsteps coming closer, and then felt Mistress Shiya's presence, crouching down beside him. "You don't have to do it alone, Sasha. Let me help you."

She lay her hand on his shoulder, and he let it stay there for a moment before his face suddenly darkened, and he pulled away. "No. No. I can't impose. You've done enough. You're not my... I'm fine. We'll be fine. We'll make it." The badger glanced at her, quickly looking away. "Thank you, Mistress Shiya, for your help. I'm going to go attend to the other rooms now."

He left the room quickly, and the lizard was left there. She sighed, sitting on the bed and letting her tail curl around her leg. "No, I'm not your mother," she said, to the empty room.

--x--

"What do you do here, boy?"

Sasha jumped in surprise, then looked behind him at one of the patrons, a rather lecherous looking bear with a gut on him. He attempted a small smile. "I'm Mistress Shiya's assistant, sir. Do you need something?"

"Well, I know one thing you can help me with, boy," the bear said, his voice getting a little gruff.

Sasha's smile became fixed under the increasingly intense stare of the burly patron. His ears flattened against his head. "...what is it?"

Uttering a deep laugh, the bear simply smirked. "Oh come now, boy. You work in a whore house... you know exactly what I want. And ain't you the cutest thing I ever saw, heh heh."

"Um, sir, I don't think that I can help you, um. Cuz, uh, I don't, er, do that..."

Clapping his paws to his stomach, the bear let out a booming laugh. "Haw haw haw... sure you don't, boy! And I'm the Duke. So why don't you give an old bear some sweetness, huh?"

Going by the way he seemed to sway and his general odor, Sasha guessed that the bear was drunk. Still, he had a strong grip, and was halfway to trying to force Sasha to his knees when somebody intervened. Darla grabbed the bear by his arm and tugged him off balance, simultaneously giving him a slap across his face. "Here now, yoo leave that boy alone! He don't work here like that!"

The drunk bear raised a paw to smash Darla across her homely face, but he was again tugged off balance by Sylvia, whom Sasha now knew to be a gazelle. The bear crashed into the wall, knocking over some of the incense that the badger had just put up. He was clearly dazed, but looked to be furrowing his brow in a thunderous anger. Sylvia half-turned to Sasha, mouthing the words "Go get Bailey." Gulping, the badger was soon off. Bailey was known as the doorman, and had been in the service of Mistress Shiya or some time. There was no question of Bailey's ability, and he seemed genuinely fond of the girls and boys working under their mutual boss. But it wasn't the fact that Bailey towered over everyone at eight feet of height that made Sasha uneasy.

What made Sasha uneasy was the fact that Bailey was a golem.

There was nothing inherently wrong with golems. Although they mostly worked in out-of-the-way areas, they had a reputation for being imposing. Often their size and stature was what was needed for all of the advanced clockwork mechanisms within their body, making them very heavy. However well they did what they were told, most people found them disturbing, Sasha one of them. But Bailey was different. Unlike most golems, Bailey exhibited an intelligence beyond what clockwork, however complicated, was capable of. He spoke with the others, held conversations, and sometimes he even seemed to smile though his mouth was fixed. And while he was most certainly intimidating, Sasha also couldn't help but like him a little. It was a very complicated set of feelings.

There was little time for thinking over that, so he pushed those feelings aside and knocked on the large closet that served as Bailey's room. "Yes," came the deep barrel from inside.

The badger quaked at that voice, but swallowed. "Bailey, there's an unruly patron... he's getting out of control."

"I will be there momentarily," came the voice again. Soon after, the door swung inward, and all Sasha could see was darkness. It was broken by two lights that signified Bailey's eyes, and then the golem drew himself from the closet like a black monolith. Nodding to Sasha, Bailey started to move off in the direction of the disturbance, with the badger trailing in his wake.

Sasha trailed behind long enough to hear the scattered shouts of surprise from the golem arriving onto the scene. Bailey went right to the disturbance, plucking the bear off his feet from the mess of broken incense and bent plates. The badger went to Darla and Sylvia, the former seeming to have taken a few blows to the head and was knocked down. "Is she okay?" Sasha asked the gazelle.

"Och, Ah'll be fine, young un," Darla said, blinking heavily. "That bear's got some heavy paws; he knocked me fer quite th' loop 'n no mistake!"

"You harmed one my friends. Perhaps I should harm you instead," Bailey told the unruly bear, now held up by his collar. The drunkard flailed around, whether in fright or no, Sasha couldn't tell.

"Bailey, just lead--"

"YOU, BOY! YOU GET THIS OVERGROWN TIN CAN OFFA ME, AND I MEAN RIGHT NOW!" boomed the bear, still swinging from Bailey's grip. Sasha's face hardened.

"Bailey, take him outside," Sasha said. "And if he keeps flailing like that, break a finger. Keep breaking fingers until he understands."

The bear blinked blearily at that, then looked up at Bailey while the golem slowly swiveled its head to "look" at the bear. "With pleasure," it said, it's voice rolling in the sort of purr that promised great enjoyment in inflicting harm. The bear squeaked and fell still, before Bailey trumped off toward the entrance and down the hall.

The adrenaline shortly left him, and with a sigh, he flopped backwards into a seat, his ears flat against his head. "I'm scared of him," he admitted aloud.

"Don't worry about him, he's harmless." The badger nearly leaped out of his fur as he looked up.

He saw first the dress -- a simplistic affair, light gray with red sash -- that hugged her curves as he had come to know she preferred. It was again sleeveless, showing off the strange tattoos that traversed the length of her arms. Sasha once remembered asking about why she showed them off, and she simply smiled before giving him another task. Mistress Shiya smiled down at him, then looked to Darla. "Everything all right there, Darla?"

The sheep sat up, albeit slowly. "Och, just a little knock there... Ah'll be ship-shape in no' time."

Smiling warmly, both she and Sylvia helped up the heavyset woman. "Sylvia, go get Darla patched up, alright? Sasha, be a dear and go knock on the doors, tell the others that everything's been taken care of."

"Um... even if they're... busy?" Sasha really wished he could help himself from blushing so much. It's not like he hadn't seen the act performed... there were a few times when the patrons either couldn't wait until they could get to a room, or had no shame with regard to paying for sex. And yet, and still...

Shiya thought for a moment, then grinned. "Only if they ask. Now run along."

Something still head Sasha still. "Um... Mistress Shiya...?"

"Yes, Sasha?"

"Is... I heard, a while back, about a bunch of golems that got... tinkered with, and killed their owners. Is that--?"

"No," Shiya said, shaking her head. "Bailey... Bailey is different. He has a name. Most golems don't have that luxury. It's what separates him from the rest. Besides... he's very special to me, and has actually been tinkered with before. He still protected me." She looked down at Sasha, her black eyes seeming to bore into him. "And he'll protect you, too. He likes you." Again, she paused, then shrugged. "If worst comes to worst, he will not get past me. Now go on."

Nodding hastily, the badger couldn't help but feel her eyes on his back as he left the room.

--x--

Even though he and his sister had been living there a week, Sasha had yet to shake the feeling that the hallways were too long in Mistress Shiya's manor. Or was it a mansion? Sasha honestly didn't know. The house seemed massive to him, and it even came with a butler. He came by every so often and cleaned. He was still finding his way when he, quite abruptly, came to where he was looking for.

The door didn't seem that big or grand, or at least grander or more imposing than any of the other doors. Still, this one gave him a bit of pause because it was... well, Mistress Shiya's door. He'd been asked here, "whenever he had a chance" as she said. And even though he had officially moved in with her, he still felt a little uneasy about doing so. However, it was nice to have more space... much, much more space. Gathering himself with a sigh, he knocked on the door.

"Come in," came the soft, dusky tone of Mistress Shiya, and the badger entered. As he closed the door, he had to adjust his eyes to the lower light in here. As opposed to the many naphtha lights outside her room, inside there were only four candles dotted about the room. "I'm over here," she said again, directing Sasha's attention to the bed.

On a nightstand beside the bed, with one of the two candles by the bed was a bottle and a glass. On the bed was Mistress Shiya, one foot on the ground, the other leg folded inward with the foot resting against her thigh. She held a glass of liquid in one hand, the other holding open a book which she lowered as Sasha came in. As he came closer, he realized with a start that she was wearing very little. The lizard seemed dressed for bed, a white, sheer dressing gown or perhaps a shift to go with her messy white hair. He stopped about halfway across the room. "Is it... all right? You look like you're about to go to bed."

"Hm?" Shiya looked up, then closed the book over a finger. "Oh, no, no, it's perfectly alright, Sasha. Please... come in. I wanted to talk to you for a little while." With book in hand, she gestured beside her. "Come, sit. Would you like some wine?"

"Uh... yes, please." The badger had never had wine before, but he felt it would be rude to refuse her, especially since he lived there now. He sat where indicated, but made sure to leave some distance between them. After all, he was in the bedroom of a very beautiful female. He wanted to comport himself accordingly.

Pulling a ribbon from the nightstand, she tucked it into her place in the book and set it down. Placing her glass on the stand, she poured some of the wine into the second glass, passing it to Sasha who took it with a nod of thanks. "This is actually one of the better years... or so I've heard. I've tried some and it's not half bad. Very fruity, which I like." Shiya glanced at Sasha, noting the badger's overall nervous air. "And by all means, Sasha, relax. This is casual, not business or anything. Just a simple conversation. Please, take a sip of the wine. I think you'll like it."

Sasha blushed again, and nodded quickly, putting the glass to his lips and sipping as requested. He jerked forward in surprise as the wine's complicated flavors burst upon his unsuspecting and inexperienced tongue, swallowing in reflex. There was a slight tang in the aftertaste, and he tilted his head, swallowing once more to try and clear it. The little reverie was broken when he heard giggling, looking over to see Mistress Shiya with wine glass in her hand, the other covering her mouth.

"I'm sorry," she said, amusement dancing about her tone. "Was that your first cup of wine?" Sasha nodded, flushing a little bit. He didn't know why he was flushing, but he just felt the blood rushing to his face, making it a little warm. He tried to shake off the feeling, his ears going back. "Are you feeling alright, Sasha? Is the wine getting to you?"

Stubbornly, the badger shook his head, getting a little dizzy doing so. "I'm fine, Mistress Shiya. Really."

"Nonsense," she chided gently. "I probably should have brought up some water for you."

Sasha's ears went back. "No, really, Mistress Shiya, I'm--" He made a sound, as if all the words he was going to say crashed into each other since their outlet was closed. The lizard, a small smile on her face, shushed him.

"It's okay, Sasha," she told him, and then pulled him abruptly, if gently. "You don't have to play the adult for me." Her hand lightly stroked over his arm, hugging her closer to her body. Sasha felt his face burn in embarrassment, and possibly still due to the little alcohol that he had. But the fact was that... the lizard was very soft, and she was just... holding him. Comforting him. He squirmed a little, many feelings bubbling up within him, at least one of which was creating another source of embarrassment entirely. All of this was making it very hard for him to speak or react.

She was able to deftly remove the wine glass from his paw. "Shh..." Shiya gently shushed him, giving him a further hug, lowering her head to gently nuzzle to his. "Sasha, I wanted to have a talk with you because you seemed very stressed lately," she said in a soft voice. "And it's only seemed to increase since you moved in here. Is there something wrong?"

The badger squirmed a little more, trying to pull away from her. "No... there's nothing." He looked up at her, and saw that she held a sad smile on her face.

"Sasha... last night, I overheard you crying. You were reading a book, in the sitting room. The book didn't look like anything I have in the library." Reaching up, she gently stroked over his cheek, leaning in to kiss her forehead. "Sasha, what's bothering you? What's in the book?"

"It's... it's nothing," he mumbled softly, but couldn't meet her eyes. "Can I have another drink?" he asked suddenly.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded dumbly, and then she, with some reservation, gave him a wine glass, and he took another, deeper sip before handing it back to her. They stayed like that for a time, with Shiya rubbing over Sasha's arm, and Sasha with his eyes firmly on the floor. Eventually he spoke, if softly.

"It was my mother's. My mother's diary. She... she killed herself in a fire. She burned down our house. Kriss doesn't know that. All she knows is that she died in that fire. That's the only thing I could tell her. Mother... wasn't acting right for a while. She kept seeing things, and crying. That was the beginning. Later, she started getting angry for no reason, yelling at me and Kriss both, then coming back to us and comforting us, like mother used to. When she got like this, I tried to protect Kriss from her, and even took a few beatings for whatever she thought we were doing wrong. When mother... when she got sick... she always was blaming us for something, and I didn't know why. When she..." tears began to fall from Sasha's eyes, dropping to his lap. "...died... she threw her diary at me... and I've been reading it ever since. She... Father went missing. Father... was involved with something with the King... she loved Father very much. And she kept saying... that... that I should follow in Father's footsteps... but I don't know what he did... and... when his letters stopped coming... she threw us out... and killed herself, and I don't understand why, and--"

Blinking, Sasha watched in a daze as the lizard lifted his chin up, kissed away his tears, and then pressed her lips to his. She had her eyes closed, but she held the kiss, and slowly his eyes closed as well. As the kiss went deeper, Shiya tilting her head to the side to do so, Sasha felt his paws seeming to move of their own accord, gripping into her shift so tight as to almost tear it. He was trembling, he realized. His body quivered as the dam of emotion was breached, everything flowing out first in words, now in action. And she took it, directed it, pressing him down to the soft cushions of his employer's bed, his paws roaming over her arms, her shoulders, her neck, even going so far as to trace the very tips of his nails across those pillowy mounds on her chest.

When the kiss broke, he found himself panting, his heart thumping, his body primed for something he couldn't quite name. She was over him, her tattooed arms holding her up as she gazed down at him, her gaze searching. His paws rested on her sides, still somewhat tremulous, his body still subjected to the outpouring. As he tried to speak, her finger was there on his lips, neatly silencing him. "I think you need this," she said in a low voice, barely above a whisper. "But if you feel uncomfortable, then tell me to stop, and it'll end. Alright?"

Sasha nodded, and she kissed him again. He bowed to this one quicker, his eyes closing... only to find that this kiss ended far too soon. He panicked, thinking something was wrong, starting to look up... when a hand firmly planted on his chest forced him back down. His heart hammered in his chest, his thoughts frantic, when her lips pressed to his neck. The badger reeled, feeling her tongue slip out and up on his neck, only to be reigned in and replaced with her soft lips. Over and over, down, down, down, she kissed over his body. As she took off Sasha's shirt, the only reaction he gave were small motions to make the task easier for her, as well as the still-rampant pace of his heart. When she descended to his stomach, he looked down at her as best as he was able, fascinated by her motions. As she neared a sudden rise in his breeches, a flush overtook his face, remembering the one time another had been down there, as well as numerous attempts which he dodged, unable to think of why later. Coal black eyes looked up at him as she neared the source of heat, hovering over it in anticipation. Shiya waited, searching his face until she saw acceptance, and a small nod bidding her onward. She exhaled, closed her eyes, then unlaced his breeches.

It was the second Bezan Kiss Sasha ever had in his life, and it was far better than the first. Mistress Shiya found every spot that Sylvia had found, as well as a few more that had him near spurting before long. She drew from him however, a dull ache in the pit of his stomach as he was denied. Again, he feared that he did something wrong, but then he was captivated as the sensual lizard drew up her shift, tossing it to the side, leaving her body bare. She lowered herself once more, crawling her fingers up his body before taking him into another kiss.

Sasha found himself in a state of simultaneous excitement and relaxation, his body squirming from simply the feel of her skin on his fur. He was dimly aware of his paws wandering, consumed in the kiss and the light taste of his own maleness on her lips. It was only when she uttered a surprised sound that his state of relaxation snapped, a million different anxieties crowding his mind as he realized where he was touching. Panicked, he looked up at her face, only to find her offering a sultry smirk. "Go ahead," Shiya told him, even going so far as to pull one of his paws to her bust, squeezing herself through it. "There are many... ways to pleasure a female," she continued, her eyes lidded almost shut, soft moans coming from her. "Here... oh... let me show you..." Making sure to keep contact with her body, Shiya drew his fingers down, eventually cupping his paw on her rear. The badger gave her an experimental squeeze, and she threw her head back in a gasp, pushing back to it.

With a loving, patient hand, Mistress Shiya drew the badger on a tour of her body, whispering gentle encouragements, guiding him when to be firm and when to be soft. Sasha was the ever-eager pupil, though his reaction to her heady excitement entering the air drew a series of gasps from him. At her subtle insistence of rubbing herself to his chest, spreading her scent more, he gave her a kiss from Beza, pushing his snout between her legs while her tail played with his suddenly heavily aroused member. Shiya found herself taken off guard by how much came naturally to him and once again at his enthusiasm, her hands clutching into his head, continuing her soft words and praise when she had the breath to.

Before too long, however, she pulled herself from him. He felt the light tremors of her body, immediately thinking he had done something wrong. Shiya pressed a finger to his lips, still smiling at him. She didn't speak, simply moving down his body. Sasha was mesmerized by her until he felt that light push against something solid against the spire he had nearly forgotten about. He gasped in surprised, but she only continued to give him that secretive smile of hers. It dawned on him, right before it happened, what she was doing. Why she lifted herself on her legs and slid backwards. Why she came back down again. He moaned in surprised, finding himself being caressed by a warmth not unlike her mouth, but so very, very different, and yet just as wonderful, if not more. She had aimed him well, her tail seeming to come alive as she sat down on the badger, swinging around to convey her emotion. His tail was nowhere as visible, nor were his sounds audible; his nails dug into the covers, his entire body encased in tension.

A hand drew itself down his gray, furry chest, causing his back to arch. His eyes opened, and she was there, her red skin seeming to pulse with blood and life and sex, the few candles lit flickering as an unseen draft ghosted through the room. "Relax," she told him, and he tried to, his body so ramped up because it was happening, it was happening, it was happening!!! Her hands on his stomach, Shiya leaned over and kissed him once again, and Sasha found the anchor he was looking for all unknowing. He gasped into her mouth, breathing harshly for a moment, then a moment more before the gentle kiss soothed him. Then, and only then, did she begin to ride.

Even before she directed his paws to her thighs and hips, Sasha felt his awareness once again tunnel on her. Her form rose and fell on him, impaling herself beautifully on her body, her own hands and nails settling on his waist. She dug into his rough fur, fingers twirling around shorter hairs as she started to speed, her breasts rising and falling with each stroke. Shiya threw her head back, slamming herself down upon him, and leaned forward in order to burrow the badger's member deeper within her.

For his part, Sasha simply held on for the ride, grabbing onto wherever he held, pleasure coursing through his body like a raging river. He soon became aware of a pressure building within him, rushing onward so fast, he barely was able to register it before it hit. A louder gasp tore from the badger's muzzle, his back bowing, and he was conscious, if barely, of his seed moving through his member, into the cloying heat of Mistress Shiya's body. After, he felt his mind take flight, borne upward by the haze of orgasm and afterglow, with his body left trembling behind.

The flight didn't last long, but he when he came back to himself, he found Shiya lying atop him, her hair disheveled and hanging from her head, her light panting matching his own. The candles flickered around them, casting her face into shadow before she flicked her head backward, clearing her hair from her face. Softly, they kissed, and without speaking, she got off of him and lay at the head of the bed, Sasha soon to join her. He lay on her chest, nuzzling quietly into her. But still...

"M-mistress Shiya?"

"Yes?"

"Was... was I any--"

She cut him off, placing a finger on his muzzle. "That was as good as any man I've ever had," she told him, "and quite better than most." With those words, he let himself relax.

Her scent was comforting, laced throughout with evidence of their recent activity though it was. She was comforting. Almost as if there was something he had been missing for so long, that he never quite figured out what it was until now. But now that he had it... now that he had it...

Sasha realized he was crying when he felt Mistress Shiya's hand stroke over his arm, her voice radiating concern. "Sasha, are you alright?"

He took a deep breath, nodding to her as he looked up. "Yeah... yeah, I just... it feels nice. I feel well. Like... like a great weight... has been taken off my shoulders." Another deep breath, calming, soothing, the last of his tears falling from his eyes. "I-I... I'm... I'm tired..." Despite chuckling, he felt a wave of weariness settle over him.

"Sleep then," Mistress Shiya told him, giving him a little squeeze. He clutched tighter to her body, nuzzling into her, and let out a little sigh.

He started to feel himself drift off, but then he looked up at her. "Will... you be here, when I wake up?"

"I will be here, Sasha," she told him, working on getting the covers over both of their bodies.

"Good," he whispered, before sleep overtook him. "Good..."

--x--

The smell of the sea, which pervaded all of Fairwind in some way or another, was strongest at the north end of the pier. Even further still north, just outside of the city, there was an outcropping of rock that had become Sasha's retreat before he and his sister moved in with Mistress Shiya. Sasha thought to visit it one more time.

From his rucksack, he drew the slightly charred book that had been his mother's journal. It was a present, she had once told him, from her father, to encourage her in her schooling. Bracing himself against the wind and what he was about to do, Sasha opened the book toward the end.

"To my dearest Sasha

"I wish I had been stronger for you and your sister. I did not know that losing your father would cost me so much. I do not know what I have done to you in particular Sasha, but I wish I could take back those words, those harsh actions, for you did not deserve them. In my grief, I lost my mind.

I am not strong. I am not like your father. But I see your father in both of you, but you most of all. And I must put one task on you. I want you to go to Fairwind, to the outcropping of rock to the north of the city, and I want you to throw this book out to sea. And with it, I want you to throw all of those bad memories of my fragile self with them. I know that you two will be well. Sasha, you've protected your sister against me in this. I hope that she has naught but good memories of me. And I hope that you and your sister will be well. Heed this advice: Go to Fairwind, for the city has many opportunities. Like your father, I know that you will succeed.

I love you, Sasha. I want you to know that, I never stopped loving you. My grief made me angry, but know that I always loved you and your sister.

Catherine"

Taking a deep breath, Sasha closed the book, reached back, and hurled it into the sea. Immediately, he turned his back, hearing distantly the splash as the sea consumed the book.

"Are you well, Sasha?" Mistress Shiya inclined her head, dressed in an overcoat to keep out the chill wind, like Sasha's own, except a blood red color, matching her skin color and also her hair. The badger nodded, and went with her while they walked away.

"Sasha?"

"Yes?"

"Would you like me to make you something to eat? It should be ready when your sister gets home."

"Yes," the badger replied, wiping some tears away. "Yes I would."