# The Word of the King

Author: AshenPhoenix13
Tags: Aqua Sex, Armor, Armpit, Ass Worship, Bathing, Consensual, Couple, Erection, Fantasy, First Time, Fondling, Gay, Groping, Hotdogging Sex Position, Human, Interspecies, M/M, Male/Male, Massage, Medieval, Musk, Naked, Plot Development, Relationships, Sheath, Short Story, Size Difference, Tiger, Tight Clothes, White Tiger

I haven't written anything in quite a while as all my motivation just up and left. Recently I thought up a new story and it really got me going, and well, here it is. It's just over 10k words, so it's technically two chapters, but I just decided to combine them together. Not sure if there will be a sequel or more after that since the story hasn't really formed in my head after this point. This is mostly story with a lot of innuendos and a flirty king, but it does have some sexual elements. I hope you all like it, and please feel free to tell me what you thought of it. If you have any suggestions for future stories, let me know, I just might write it.  
  
P.S. Anyone waiting for chapter three of A Moonlit Night will be happy to hear I'm going to start writing it soon. I just downloaded Borderlands 2 and have been too busy writing this and I want to play some of it first ;P

1&nbsp;

The massive castle sitting atop the cliff is filled with servants going about their work as always, but something seems amiss.&nbsp; Someone walking into the castle could be forgiven for thinking it empty.&nbsp; The reason for this unusual silence?&nbsp; A crucial piece is missing: the king.&nbsp;

Kingdoms can survive without their ruler but this is no ordinary king.&nbsp; He is the sunlight after the rain, a fire on a cold winter’s night, the light at the end of the tunnel, the Golden One.&nbsp; Like all silences, this one has come to an end with the arrival of a much-awaited message; the&nbsp;Golden&nbsp;One&nbsp;has returned.&nbsp;

As the message of the king’s return spreads throughout the castle, spirits rise and paces are quickened.&nbsp; Everyone wants to be there when he enters the castle so they can welcome him back.&nbsp; Tasks are completed on the double, and a stream of servants pour into the courtyard.&nbsp;

Everyone who is able to leave the castle is now standing attentively in the courtyard, waiting for the king to arrive.&nbsp; They don’t have to wait long until the words they have been waiting for are said.&nbsp;

“Attention!&nbsp; The Golden One, King&nbsp;Reuleaux, first of his name has arrived!” one of the guards on top of the courtyard walls yells&nbsp;out.&nbsp;

Cheers erupt from the group of servants, who only get louder as the king rides through the archway on his black stallion.&nbsp; The king is clad in black&nbsp;armor, that is somehow even darker than his mount, and the shining silver accents on his&nbsp;armor&nbsp;sparkle brilliantly, even in the dim sunlight.&nbsp;

Dismounting his steed, he is met with countless greetings&nbsp;from&nbsp;his loyal servants.&nbsp; Over and over they say, “welcome back!”&nbsp;

When he reaches the doorway leading into the castle, the king turns around and raises the visor of his tiger-shaped helmet.&nbsp; The silvery white eyes staring out of the helmet are not those of a man, but of a white tiger.&nbsp; His white fur stands in stark contrast to the black of his&nbsp;armor, but it's his stripes that leave all who see them in awe.&nbsp; Instead of normal hair, they are made of real gold strands but are just as soft as the rest of his fur.&nbsp; These golden stripes are the result of a unique and powerful magic belonging only to his bloodline.&nbsp; This magic allows those who possess it to have a one-of-a-kind title, Golden One.&nbsp;

The king raises his hands to calm the crowd, and silence quickly follows.&nbsp; “We would like to you all for this heartfelt welcome,” he says in a deep voice that seems to carry for miles.&nbsp; "Knowing we have this," he gestures to the crowd of servants, "to come back to, does so much to alleviate the burdens of traveling.&nbsp; It has been a long ride, so you'll have to excuse us before any&nbsp;odors&nbsp;start escaping this&nbsp;armor."&nbsp; The crowd laughs, and the king waves for a final time before heading inside.&nbsp;

He&nbsp;doesn’t make it far before he sees a man running towards him.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Gottfried, it is so nice to see you, and it looks like you’ve kept busy while I was away.”&nbsp;

The out of breath grey-haired old man stops and bows before King&nbsp;Reuleaux.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It is so nice to see you back safe and sound Golden One.”&nbsp; Gottfried takes a few deep breaths before continuing.&nbsp; “You know I always keep busy, but I’m afraid I’ve failed this time.”&nbsp;

“Let us guess.&nbsp; Our retainer is nowhere to be found?”&nbsp;

“I’m afraid so.&nbsp; No one seems to know where he is.&nbsp; I’ve almost checked the entire castle myself, and the servants I sent out to check his usual spots have found no trace.”&nbsp;

“Walk with us, and let us discuss our retainer.”&nbsp;

“With pleasure Golden One.”&nbsp;

The king indeed wanted to talk about his retainer, but the real reason was to trick Gottfried into taking a break.&nbsp; Despite being over sixty years old, Gottfried is never still as long as there is work to be done.&nbsp; Not even the king can get him to take a break, but the king found asking for advice works as a substitute.&nbsp;

“We’ve given that boy more chances than most, but he just keeps failing.&nbsp; Perhaps it’s time we find him a different task?”&nbsp;

“I believe so Golden One,” Gottfried says with a bit of a sad expression on his face.&nbsp; “It is paramount to have everyone doing their tasks and doing them well, especially on such an important day as this.”&nbsp;

“It is not a very difficult job, almost anyone could do it.”&nbsp; An idea suddenly comes to him.&nbsp; “You there, the one in the raggedy cloak.”&nbsp;

All the servants are dressed in matching white and silver outfits, but this person is wearing an old-looking grey cloak.&nbsp; It is quite modest in comparison to the servant outfits, having only a simple diamond grid pattern along the edges.&nbsp;

The one in the cloak looks at their arms as if making sure they are the ones being addressed or perhaps feeling disbelief at the term "raggedy".&nbsp;

"Yes, you.&nbsp; Remove your hood at once.&nbsp; We wish to see the face of the one we're talking to."&nbsp;

“Your wish is my command, your majesty,” he says with a bow.&nbsp; He quickly pulls the hood back and reveals his face.&nbsp; A human male, probably in their twenties,&nbsp;stares back at the king.&nbsp; The man has light brown skin and eyes.&nbsp; His hair is also brown, but dark enough to be mistaken for black.&nbsp;

Intrigued, the king raises an eyebrow.&nbsp; No one’s ever called him “your majesty” before, but judging from the little smile&nbsp;on his face, he enjoyed it.&nbsp;

“We recognize everyone who works&nbsp;for&nbsp;us, yet we do not know your face.”&nbsp;

“My name is&nbsp;Wendell and&nbsp;I started working&nbsp;in&nbsp;the castle while you were away, your majesty.”&nbsp;

Looking for&nbsp;confirmation, King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;glances at Gottfried, who nods his head.&nbsp;

“We request that you become our new retainer.”&nbsp;

Gottfried quickly removes the shocked look&nbsp;that appeared&nbsp;on his face.&nbsp;

“That is a generous offer, but I’m afraid I have other tasks to perform.”&nbsp;

“You would deny a direct request from your king?!”&nbsp; This time Gottfried is so bewildered that the shocked expression doesn’t leave his face.&nbsp;

“Gottfried, would you kindly take a break and let us handle this.”&nbsp;

“Absolutely not.”&nbsp;

The king raises his eyebrows and gives him a smile.&nbsp;

“It’s not the same thing,”&nbsp;an irritated Gottfried says as he walks&nbsp;away.&nbsp;

“Pay him no mind, he can be a bit hot-headed.&nbsp; Now, let us walk and see if we can change your mind.”&nbsp; The king puts his arm around Wendell’s shoulders&nbsp;and beings pulling him along.&nbsp; “You don’t need to worry about your current tasks.&nbsp; If there is any trouble just send them to us, and we will deal with them.”&nbsp;

Wendell looks up at the king with a frown.&nbsp; “You shouldn’t abuse your power like that.&nbsp; When kings start doing whatever they want because they can, it inevitably leads to people becoming unhappy with them.&nbsp; This can be especially bad if the servants start feeling this way, or if enough subjects do.&nbsp; Most kings don’t last very long once it gets to that stage.”&nbsp; Realizing the bluntness of his words he tries to recover, “o-o-or so I’ve heard, your majesty.&nbsp; I’m sure you know that already and know better than me.”&nbsp;

The look on the king’s face is completely neutral, not betraying any emotion.&nbsp; Perhaps thinking he’s upset&nbsp;him,&nbsp;Wendell tries to change the subject.&nbsp; "I see you are in full plate&nbsp;armor.&nbsp; Was there a battle of some kind?"&nbsp;

“Of sorts,” the king says, instantly returning to his former self.&nbsp; “We went out to make a trade deal with the&nbsp;Trivalli.&nbsp; When negotiating, the thing that matters most to them are displays of power.&nbsp; If we had gone out with an&nbsp;army&nbsp;they thought they could defeat, then we would have had little power in the negotiations and an attack would have been likely."&nbsp; The king takes a deep breath.&nbsp; "Thankfully everything went almost perfectly.&nbsp; The worst part was the traveling.&nbsp; It was long and dreadfully hot, especially in this&nbsp;armor."&nbsp; He fans himself with his free hand for added dramatic effect.&nbsp; "Oh!&nbsp; Speaking of, we hope we don't smell too bad, especially since your face is at the same level as my armpit."&nbsp;

“You smell just fine, your majesty,” he says, despite a fairly strong and acrid&nbsp;odor&nbsp;coming from the king.&nbsp;

Without breaking stride, the king takes his arm off of Wendell's shoulder and pushes open a large wooden door.&nbsp; The room is quite plain.&nbsp; Inside there are only some stands for&nbsp;armor&nbsp;and weapons, a wardrobe, a large basket, and some chairs and stools.&nbsp;

“So,&nbsp;what exactly do you want me to do, your majesty?”&nbsp;

"Just help me take off my&nbsp;armor, simple," the king says&nbsp;with a smile.&nbsp;

“I don’t know how.”&nbsp;

“Not to worry, as long as you can undo belts and untie knots,&nbsp;I can guide you through the process.&nbsp; Start by grabbing one of those stools so you can see what you’re doing.”&nbsp;

Wendell goes to grab one of the stools by the wall, picks it up, and sets it down by the king.&nbsp; Once he steps on it, he's just a little bit taller than the king, and can now see the straps and tied cloth that were hidden under the king's chin.&nbsp; It only takes a couple seconds to undo the little buckle and untie the cloth.&nbsp; With nothing holding the helmet on, Wendell lifts the tiger-shaped helmet off.&nbsp; Underneath is a black cloth coif, which he takes off&nbsp;as well.&nbsp;

With everything off his head,&nbsp;King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;gives his neck a bit of a stretch and his ears a few test wiggles and flicks.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;subtle&nbsp;smirk escapes&nbsp;onto&nbsp;Wendell’s mouth.&nbsp;

“What is it?&nbsp; What’s so funny?”&nbsp;King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;asks.&nbsp;

“It’s nothing, your majesty.&nbsp; It’s just that your is fur plaster to the side of your head and it makes&nbsp;for quite the sight.”&nbsp;

“I have no doubt that I look like quite a mess, so if you would hurry...”&nbsp;

“I’m sorry your majesty!&nbsp; Here you are suffering and I’m laughing at you.&nbsp; Tell me what to do next.”&nbsp;

“With pleasure.”&nbsp;

Despite not knowing what to do, it doesn't take Wendell long to take off the various parts of&nbsp;armor.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pauldrons, vambraces, chain mail and everything else easily comes&nbsp;off with just a few buckles and knots&nbsp;coming&nbsp;undone.&nbsp;

"There's no need to put the pieces on the stand.&nbsp; They all need to be cleaned, inspected, and so on," says the king after noticing Wendell trying to put some&nbsp;armor&nbsp;on the stand.&nbsp;

“So,&nbsp;is that&nbsp;all&nbsp;or do you need help with those?”&nbsp; Wendell points&nbsp;to&nbsp;the cloth pants and leather jacket.&nbsp;

“No need to worry&nbsp;about&nbsp;these.&nbsp; I’ll remove the arming doublet and hose myself.”&nbsp;

“Am I free to go, your majesty?”&nbsp;

The king quickly responds, “while I have you, can you go run a bath for me in the next room?”&nbsp;

Without saying anything, Wendell turns around and heads through the doorway&nbsp;to&nbsp;the next room.&nbsp;

“Thank you!&nbsp; You’re the best!” the king&nbsp;calls&nbsp;after him.&nbsp;

“I know!” Wendell calls back&nbsp;sheepishly.&nbsp;

This room is even more barren than the one before.&nbsp; The only removable object is a shelf with soaps, brushes, combs and various towels for washing and drying.&nbsp; The bath itself is sunken into the floor and takes up almost the entire room, leaving only some space to walk around the edge.&nbsp; Built into the end of the bath closest to the door is a wooden gate that must act as a drain.&nbsp; On either side of the drain, there is a ledge down inside the bath.&nbsp; The ledge must act as a seat and a way to get in and out of the bath.&nbsp; At the other end are two wooden chutes.&nbsp; At the end of each chute is a chain, and at the end of each chain is a ball; one blue and one red.&nbsp; Figuring the color-coded chutes must be where the water comes from, Wendell heads over.&nbsp;

Pulling down the chain with the red ball causes the chute to unfold, and steaming water begins to flow out into the bath.&nbsp; Once the bath has filled up over a third of the way, Wendell pulls the other chute.&nbsp; Just like the other chute, this one unfolds and a second stream of water begins filling the bath, except this water isn’t steaming.&nbsp; After a few moments of filling, the cold-water chute is released and only the hot water still runs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Wendell stops the hot water once the bath gets to three-quarters full.&nbsp; Steam gently wafts off the water, but a quick test of the water confirms the temperature.&nbsp;

“No need to test.&nbsp; I can tell from here that that water is&nbsp;perfect.”&nbsp;

Looking up at the doorway, Wendell sees the king standing in the doorway; nude.&nbsp; The&nbsp;armor&nbsp;really didn't do him justice.&nbsp; Instead of the typical fat king, King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;has the body of a blacksmith.&nbsp; His fur does little to hide the amazingly&nbsp;sculpted definition of the huge, lean muscles covering&nbsp;his entire body.&nbsp; The fur itself is just as beautiful as his muscles.&nbsp; One can't help but stop and stare when seeing the bright white and shining gold in its full glory.&nbsp; The stripes circle around his legs and arms, almost giving the impression of gold&nbsp;jewelry.&nbsp; There are a couple of stripes near the top of his huge puffy pecs, which resemble large necklaces, but the majority of stripes cover his abs.&nbsp; The last bit of gold forms a trail down the middle of his body, just below the abs, all the way down to his crotch where it ends in a large tuft of gold.&nbsp; Below that is a sheath that's almost three inches across, and an equally large pair of fuzzy,&nbsp;golden striped balls,&nbsp;which are&nbsp;about the size of limes, if not bigger.&nbsp;

With eyes resting&nbsp;on&nbsp;the king’s&nbsp;large&nbsp;dangling balls, Wendell unconsciously says, “yes, perfect.”&nbsp;

The king clears his throat with a quick “ahem”.&nbsp;

“The water!&nbsp; I do hope the water is perfect for you... your majesty.”&nbsp; Wendell says with a too big smile on his face.&nbsp;

The king says nothing further, and using the underwater ledge steps down into the water.&nbsp; He&nbsp;sits&nbsp;down on the ledge,&nbsp;rests his arms on the side of the bath and tilts his head back.&nbsp;

“This feels fantastic!” he practically roars out.&nbsp; “You did an amazing job.&nbsp; This water is just perfect.&nbsp; I can just feel all the tension and soreness leave my muscles.”&nbsp; He stays in this position without moving&nbsp;for a while, and just when it seems like he might have fallen asleep, the king's head snaps up.&nbsp; "I bet you thought I fell asleep.&nbsp; Well, you'd almost be right, but I guess it's time to actually clean up and get rid of my stink... Not that you seemed to mind."&nbsp; He says&nbsp;the last part with a big smirk on his face.&nbsp;

“Can I have permission to speak freely?”&nbsp;

“All those who serve under me may always speak freely.”&nbsp;

“When I said you didn’t smell bad, well, I lied.&nbsp; I was being polite, but you really do smell quite strongly.”&nbsp;

“Tsk, tsk.&nbsp; You shouldn’t do that.&nbsp; Always tell the truth, but be kind about it.&nbsp; It’s better to be embarrassed in front of a&nbsp;few&nbsp;you know instead of many you don’t or ones who are important.”&nbsp; The king suddenly starts sniffing.&nbsp; “The&nbsp;way&nbsp;you said it though.&nbsp; I’m actually quite hurt.”&nbsp;

With trepidation, Wendell asks the king, “I’m very sorry for having hurt your feelings.&nbsp; Is there anything I can do for you to make up for it?”&nbsp;

“Wash my back please!” the king responds&nbsp;in&nbsp;a cheerful voice with a huge grin&nbsp;that&nbsp;shows&nbsp;off his teeth.&nbsp;

With a sigh, “I do have tasks that I must perform.”&nbsp;

“As I told you earlier, there will be no trouble for you if you help me.”&nbsp;

“As&nbsp;I&nbsp;told you earlier, there still might be trouble for me if you play&nbsp;favorites&nbsp;and that attitude can end up hurting you too."&nbsp;

“I’m aware that there are many important jobs, but none so much that your tardiness would harm me.”&nbsp;

With a heavier sigh, “did you even listen to me?”&nbsp; Then in a quieter voice, “and I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”&nbsp;

The large&nbsp;swiveling&nbsp;ears of the king must have heard the last thing Wendell said since his eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the statement.&nbsp; Despite the confusion, he doesn't say anything about it and instead says, "would you fault me for enjoying your company so much?”&nbsp; He tilts his head down and stares up at Wendell with his large eyes.&nbsp;

“Flattery will get you nowhere.”&nbsp;

The king somehow manages to make his face look even cuter.&nbsp;

“...Fine, I’ll wash your back.&nbsp;&nbsp;You&nbsp;big suck.”&nbsp;

A large smirk replaces the adorable look on the tiger’s face.&nbsp;

"But not because of the compliment!"&nbsp;

The king bursts into roar-like laughter as Wendell walks along the edge, making his way closer to him.&nbsp;

“Well come on, get out and place your royal behind up on the edge.”&nbsp;

“I can’t do that.&nbsp; I’m all wet,&nbsp;and&nbsp;while&nbsp;sitting out of the water I&nbsp;could catch&nbsp;a&nbsp;cold.&nbsp; You wouldn’t want me to get sick, would you?”&nbsp;

Another sigh comes from Wendell.&nbsp; “Then how am I supposed to wash your back then?”&nbsp;

“Simple.&nbsp; Just come in the water with me.&nbsp; It’s nice and warm and there’s lots of room.”&nbsp; The king moves off the ledge and sits on the bottom of the bath, with only his head sticking out of the water.&nbsp; He lowers his nose under the surface and starts blowing bubbles.&nbsp;

“Do you act like this with everyone?”&nbsp;

“Nope, just you.”&nbsp;

Wendell is taken aback by the sudden terse response.&nbsp; Regaining his composure, Wendell scoffs at his response and says, “I’m sure you say that to everyone and just want me to get in the bath with you.”&nbsp;

“We swear to you on our name as&nbsp;the&nbsp;Golden One, that we are telling you the truth.”&nbsp;

"Well, I can't argue with that... I guess."&nbsp; Realizing he's lost, Wendell begins stripping.&nbsp; Under the grey cloak are matching grey clothes with the same diamond grid pattern along the edges of each garment.&nbsp; Taking off his shirt reveals his slender hairless body.&nbsp; All of the muscles on his upper body are quite small, but despite the small muscles, a little fat helps keep him from looking unhealthy.&nbsp; Reaching down to take off his pants, Wendell catches sight of the king,&nbsp;who’s&nbsp;staring right at him.&nbsp; “Can you stop staring at me?”&nbsp;

“You&nbsp;got&nbsp;quite the eyeful&nbsp;of&nbsp;me earlier, so I just thought it would be fair if I got to&nbsp;do the same with you.”&nbsp;

Wendell’s cheeks burn red as&nbsp;he looks away in embarrassment.&nbsp; “I don’t know why you would, there isn’t anything worth seeing.”&nbsp;

Despite&nbsp;what he said, the king gives him a smile and continues to look at him.&nbsp;

After a couple seconds,&nbsp;Wendell resumes taking off&nbsp;his pants and underwear.&nbsp; As to be expected, his legs are just a little more muscular from carrying his weight but are just as small&nbsp;as his arms.&nbsp; Unlike his muscles, just underneath a patch of pubic hair is a flaccid seven-inch dick, with a nice pair of balls that would fill a hand nicely.&nbsp; After standing around for a few seconds, Wendell turns around and crouches down to fold his clothes, giving the king a great view of his butt and tight hole.&nbsp; With his clothes in a neat stack, Wendell turns back around and enters the bath,&nbsp;where the king is waiting.&nbsp;

The king floats over to the side of the bath, grabs a glass bottle from the little shelf and hands it over to Wendell.&nbsp; With this job done,&nbsp;King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;puts his arms on the edge and rests his head on top of them.&nbsp; As Wendell gets closer, King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;spreads his legs apart giving Wendell a place to stand and reach his back.&nbsp;

Wendell removes the glass stopper from the bottle and pours a little of the clear viscous fluid onto his hand.&nbsp; A slight but sharp earthy smell comes from the liquid once he begins to lather it in his hands.&nbsp; He begins massaging the lather into the fur near the base of his tail but stands as far away as he can to avoid any inappropriate contact.&nbsp; As he washes higher up the king's back, he has no choice but to move closer to reach.&nbsp; Once Wendell has gotten most of the way up King&nbsp;Reuleaux’s&nbsp;back, he has to stop.&nbsp; Any closer and he’ll be rubbing up against&nbsp;him.&nbsp;

“What’s the matter?&nbsp; Why did you stop?”&nbsp;

“I-I-I'm just having some trouble reaching, your majesty.”&nbsp;

“Well if you can’t reach, then just move closer.”&nbsp;

"You could just lower yourself as you did bef..."&nbsp;

“Despite the size of my teeth, I don’t bite... Unless you want me to,” he says with a wink after interrupting Wendell.&nbsp;

After a few moments, Wendell moves closer so that his crotch is now pressing up against the king's butt.&nbsp;

“See?&nbsp; That wasn’t too bad, and now you can continue.”&nbsp; He faces forward again and places his head back on his arms.&nbsp; “You are doing a wonderful job by the way.&nbsp; Those fingers are practically magic with how they... rub out, all the stress and&nbsp;tightness&nbsp;of my muscles.”&nbsp;

Already being in an awkward situation, the king’s innuendos don’t help matters.&nbsp; Wendell continues washing the rest of King&nbsp;Reuleaux’s&nbsp;back, but his dick begins to get harder.&nbsp; To reach his shoulder’s, Wendell hops from the tips of his feet, which cause his dick to rub between the king’s round, muscular butt cheeks.&nbsp; The king certainly notices but doesn't do anything other than rest his head.&nbsp;

“All finished, your majesty,” Wendell says with a full erection.&nbsp;

“That felt&nbsp;soooo&nbsp;great,” the king says while stretching out his back.&nbsp; “Want to do the rest of me?”&nbsp;

The innuendo proves too much, turning Wendell bright red and unable to speak.&nbsp;

“Looks like the heat from the water and all that work you just did is getting to you.&nbsp; How about I wash your back while you relax?”&nbsp;

Despite the king already feeling his hard-on, Wendell doesn’t want to get out of the water&nbsp;and let the king&nbsp;see it.&nbsp; “Okay, that sounds like a good idea.&nbsp; Let’s switch places.”&nbsp;

With their roles reversed, King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;lathers his hands with soap and begins massaging Wendell’s shoulders.&nbsp; Due to their difference in height, King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;can leave a space between them and still have no trouble reaching.&nbsp; Strangely enough, the farther down his back, the closer the king gets.&nbsp; It doesn’t take very long before the king’s dick is rubbing against Wendell’s butt.&nbsp;&nbsp;The entire&nbsp;back is covered in lather, but instead of finishing, the king grabs&nbsp;Wendell’s&nbsp;hips.&nbsp;

King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;leans in and whispers, “do you want me to give you a deep cleaning?” and at the same time pulls Wendell closer, causing his dick to prob between the smaller one’s butt cheeks.&nbsp;

Stuttering and tripping over his words, Wendell says, “we really shouldn’t be doing this.”&nbsp;

“I’m not asking what we should or shouldn’t be doing.&nbsp; I’m asking you what you really want.”&nbsp;

"It's important that a king has an heir.&nbsp; That's not something I can give, so this is pointless," he says still stuttering and embarrassing himself more with what he said.&nbsp;

"I enjoy most of what I do, but in the end, it's still a job.&nbsp; I want to be able to do things just for the sole purpose of enjoyment instead of it having to revolve around some grand purpose,”&nbsp;while he’s&nbsp;saying this, the king slowly softens&nbsp;his iron grip on Wendell’s hips.&nbsp; “I don’t know what it is about you, well I suppose I do, but I’m more interested in you than anyone else I’ve met.”&nbsp; King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;sighs and then continues, “that’s why I’m willing to let you be my first.”&nbsp;

Wendell turns around and looks him in the eyes, unable to believe what he’s hearing.&nbsp; “Even though you’ve been quite different from most kings, I still find it hard to believe you’re a virgin.”&nbsp;

The king shrugs and gives him a little smirk.&nbsp;

“This makes things even more serious.”&nbsp;

“I won’t go any further, so it’s entirely up to you.&nbsp; As long as you’re being true to your feelings, I’ll accept your decision, whatever it may be.”&nbsp;

Wisely, Wendell takes some time to think but&nbsp;still&nbsp;comes&nbsp;to&nbsp;a decision quickly.&nbsp; “I’ve made my choice.&nbsp; I want...”&nbsp;

Slam!&nbsp; The large wooden door&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;armor&nbsp;room flies open, smacking against the wall.&nbsp; From&nbsp;the&nbsp;room comes a stressed voice, “Golden One what are you doing, you must hurry or you’re going to be late!”&nbsp;

Wendell can feel claws digging into his sides and hear a rumbling coming from the king behind him.&nbsp;

“How dare you slam open the door and enter without knocking!” he roars so loudly that the water&nbsp;ripples&nbsp;around him.&nbsp;

The person in the other room spews out apology after apology in a seemingly endless torrent.&nbsp; “Please forgive your humble servant O&nbsp;Illustrious Golden One.&nbsp; I overacted and would normally never behave in such a manner, but the coronation of The Royal&nbsp;Magistar&nbsp;is extremely important.”&nbsp;

Still roaring, but not as loudly, he says, “you think we don’t know this?&nbsp; Is it too much to ask that we relax after such a long and difficult journey and before such a stressful event?&nbsp;&nbsp;We’ve never been late to anything, so leave, and don’t you&nbsp;dare&nbsp;insult me again.”&nbsp; The word “dare” dripping with so much venom that the threat seems quite genuine.&nbsp;

After a little&nbsp;yelp!&nbsp;the person in the other room starts his torrent of apologies again and can be heard through the shut door and down the hall as he practically runs away.&nbsp;

“I’m sorry about that,” the kings&nbsp;says&nbsp;to&nbsp;Wendell.&nbsp;

“No, it’s fine, my hearing was too good anyway.”&nbsp;

“Sorry.”&nbsp; His ears go flat against his head.&nbsp;

“That’s alright.&nbsp; I understand.”&nbsp; He reaches up and rubs the king’s head.&nbsp; “That voice was quite impressive.&nbsp; It was almost like you were a different person.”&nbsp;

“Kings can rarely be themselves and are always having to change&nbsp;their&nbsp;personality depending on who they’re talking to and the situation.&nbsp; It’s exhausting.”&nbsp;

Wendell gives him a sympathetic grin and a few more head rubs.&nbsp; “No wonder you wanted to relax and collect yourself.&nbsp; What is this coronation he&nbsp;was&nbsp;talking about,&nbsp;and why is it so&nbsp;important.”&nbsp;

“You’ll find out soon enough.”&nbsp;

“I will?!”&nbsp;

“Let us finish washing and then you will accompany me to the throne room.”&nbsp;

Out of all of the commands&nbsp;so far, this one sounded the least negotiable.&nbsp; “Alright.”&nbsp;

“That’s it?&nbsp; I’m surprised you didn’t say anything about being late&nbsp;to&nbsp;your task or how much it would affect me.”&nbsp;

“Thought I’d give you a break.&nbsp; Just this once.”&nbsp;

“Oh, how thoughtful&nbsp;of&nbsp;you.”&nbsp;

A pause, then they both burst out laughing.&nbsp;

The sexual atmosphere that once permeated through the room is all but gone.&nbsp; They continue washing, although this time it's five feet apart.&nbsp; Wendell is the first to finish bathing since he doesn't have fur to deal with.&nbsp;&nbsp;He&nbsp;leaves the bath and grabs one of the towels on the shelf.&nbsp; He stays in this room to dry, not minding the watchful king.&nbsp; He puts all his clothes back on, but the king is still in the bath.&nbsp;

“I hate to say this, but you should hurry.”&nbsp;

“Not you too!”&nbsp;

“I said that because I worry that your fur will take a long time to dry.”&nbsp;

“You’re correct, that’s why I’ll just focus on parts of me that will be visible.&nbsp; The rest can be damp since no one will be able to tell.”&nbsp;

Wendell thinks&nbsp;for&nbsp;a few seconds.&nbsp; “If you hurry up&nbsp;in&nbsp;there, I’ll help you dry off.”&nbsp;

The king starts scrubbing himself almost comically fast before dunking himself under the water.&nbsp; He emerges by the ledge and steps out, pulling the wooden board out that was keeping the water in.&nbsp; He stands smiling with his arms out, ready to be dried.&nbsp;

“I’ll get the back and you can dry the front.”&nbsp;

“Aren’t you more interested in what I have in the front.”&nbsp;

Perhaps already used&nbsp;to&nbsp;his taunts, Wendell hardly reacts and&nbsp;says, “are you saying you can reach your back?”&nbsp;

“Ah... well...”&nbsp;

“If that’s the case, then I guess I won’t be needed to help you bathe in the future?”&nbsp;

“Back is fine,” he replies quickly.&nbsp;

“Thought so.”&nbsp;

With a dry towel in hand, Wendell begins rubbing down King&nbsp;Reuleaux’s&nbsp;back.&nbsp; He doesn’t spend too much time&nbsp;trying to get it completely&nbsp;dry&nbsp;since it will be covered up&nbsp;anyway.&nbsp; Once the fur looks relatively dry and fluffy, he moves lower down.&nbsp; Once his entire back is dried, Wendell moves onto the tail, which doesn’t take very long since it doesn’t have much hair.&nbsp; Before he continues, he gives the king a warning, “don’t say anything and don’t do anything other than drying yourself off.”&nbsp;

“All right?”&nbsp;

Wendell places the towel on the tiger’s muscular butt cheeks and rubs vigorously.&nbsp; Despite how muscular it is, his butt is quite bouncy,&nbsp;and it seems like Wendell is having some fun kneading&nbsp;the&nbsp;cheeks.&nbsp; “Give me a hand here or maybe two.”&nbsp;

The king catches on quick and places a hand on each of his cheeks and spreads them apart.&nbsp;

With the area being more sensitive and the hair fairly short, Wendell rubs much slower.&nbsp; The area looks dry and that’s good enough as he’s not about to start feeling.&nbsp; He moves down to the back of the king’s legs, but the king still has his cheeks spread so Wendell catches sight of the tiger’s bright&nbsp;pink&nbsp;hole, making him blush.&nbsp; “I’m done.&nbsp; Stop spreading and start drying.”&nbsp;

“Are you sure you don’t want to give it any more attention?”&nbsp; He wiggles his butt a little.&nbsp;

Wendell knocks the king's hands out of the way and grabs onto the butt cheeks himself.&nbsp; Spreading them apart and staring at the tight, puckered hole for only a moment, he buries his face between the round cheeks.&nbsp; With his hands, he rubs and massages the firm glutes.&nbsp; While his hands are busy, Wendell takes a deep breath.&nbsp; He's a little disappointed since all he can smell is the earthy aroma of the soap, but it still smells good.&nbsp; After a few more moments, he quickly removes his face and hands.&nbsp; Having surprised both himself and the king, he tries to play it off by vigorously rubbing the rest of his legs.&nbsp;

Still crouching behind the king, Wendell decides to dry off the front of the king's legs.&nbsp; He's surprised that the king hasn't said anything yet and even more surprised when he gets close to the king's crotch and&nbsp;he&nbsp;still doesn’t say anything.&nbsp; “Well, I guess I’m all done,” he says standing up, his voice a little shaky.&nbsp;

“As am I.&nbsp; Come.&nbsp; Follow me,” he says, but doesn’t give Wendell much of a choice, having grabbed his hand and pulling him along.&nbsp;

“Your paw pads are really soft.&nbsp; I kind of expected them to be tough and leathery,”&nbsp;his voice is still shaky from his earlier actions.&nbsp;

The king doesn’t seem at all phased from Wendell enjoying his butt.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Why thank you.&nbsp; It's good to know those lotions are actually doing something.&nbsp; I'm afraid you'll have to rub them later because right now I do need to get dressed."&nbsp; They come to a stop in front of the wardrobe.&nbsp; King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;let's go of&nbsp;Wendell’s&nbsp;hand and opens the doors, revealing the clothes hanging inside.&nbsp; Every single article of clothing is a deep black.&nbsp;

“Wow.&nbsp; Decisions, decisions.&nbsp; I wonder what you’re going to pick.”&nbsp;

“Hmm.&nbsp; I think I’ll go with the black shirt, black underwear, black hose, and to spice things up, black shoes.”&nbsp;

“Never would have thought you’d pick those, but an excellent choice.”&nbsp;

The king begins to put on his monochromatic clothes.&nbsp; “Before we head to our final destination, we’ll have to stop at my chamber.”&nbsp; Sensing the&nbsp;look&nbsp;he’s getting from Wendell, he adds, “these clothes aren’t formal enough for such an occasion.”&nbsp;

“Oh, I see.”&nbsp;

“My bed is quite comfy though.”&nbsp; He gives a wink before putting on his shirt.&nbsp;

Wendell gives his biggest sigh yet.&nbsp; “Just lead the way, your majesty.”&nbsp;

&nbsp;

2&nbsp;

The castle&nbsp;is&nbsp;like a maze.&nbsp; The walls all seem the same and only change when going up one of the many flights of stairs.&nbsp; After countless twists and turns, and seemingly heading down the same few hallways over and over,&nbsp;the&nbsp;unlikely pair reach a large, ornate set of doors.&nbsp; One is a human clad all in grey, with a cloak covering their entire body.&nbsp; The other is a white tiger clad all in black,&nbsp;who’s&nbsp;stripes shine a brilliant gold.&nbsp; One is a servant and the other is a king, but they open the large doors, together.&nbsp;

Although many things about King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;are different from most kings, this room is an exception.&nbsp; Everything inside appears to be overly big and with almost too much detail to look at.&nbsp; Everything seems to have either a tiger, sun, or light motif, or some combination.&nbsp; The wood on the walls are covered with depictions of tigers and every corner seemed to have light rays shining from them.&nbsp; On the ceiling way overhead is a giant, inverted glass dome with silvery streaks radiating from it all the way to the walls.&nbsp;

The worst part about this room is the&nbsp;color.&nbsp; While the king is clad entirely in black, the room is entirely white.&nbsp; Even the wood is bone white, which is odd, due to the fact that there aren’t any trees of this&nbsp;color.&nbsp;

"It's a good thing tigers have excellent hearing because you'd probably go blind if you spend too much time in here," Wendell says&nbsp;while making his way over to the room-filling bed.&nbsp; “You were right about the bed though.&nbsp; It is super comfy.”&nbsp; Despite being sprawled out over the bed, he looked like a little child on his parent’s bed.&nbsp;

“Be careful laying on that bed.&nbsp; I’m supposed to be putting clothes&nbsp;on&nbsp;and I just might join you.”&nbsp;

Wendell sits up and sees the king already fully dressed.&nbsp; The black clothes have been replaced with similar black clothes, but these ones have very detailed silver embroidery.&nbsp; Some silver arms bands now sit above his huge biceps and a silver chain holds a heavy looking cape around his shoulders.&nbsp; The cape is, of course, black, but has fluffy silver fur all along the edge.&nbsp; Embroidered on the back is a very detailed profile view of a tiger, and surrounding the tiger are stars which form the night sky above the castle.&nbsp;

“That cape is really beautiful.”&nbsp;

“Thank you.&nbsp; I guess you could consider it a family heirloom.”&nbsp; The king walks over to a table with a box on it, motioning for Wendell to join him.&nbsp; Once at his side, the king slowly opens the box.&nbsp; Inside is a large, but simple black crown.&nbsp; The only detail&nbsp;it&nbsp;has&nbsp;are large spikes that give the impression of teeth.&nbsp; "Now&nbsp;this&nbsp;is a family heirloom.&nbsp; This crown was worn by&nbsp;the&nbsp;very first king, and every king after him.”&nbsp;

“Wow, imagine the stories it could tell if it could speak.”&nbsp; Wendell leans in to get a better look but doesn't dare touch it.&nbsp; Despite its age, the crown looks brand new, with not even a scratch on it.&nbsp; "I know I should probably know better, but I was expecting it to be gold, but it looks like it's the same black material your&nbsp;armor&nbsp;is made of."&nbsp;

"As you could probably tell, I'm not allowed to wear a lot of things, with gold being at the top of the list.&nbsp; Apparently, it would distract from my natural radiance or something."&nbsp; He rolls his eyes at how ridiculous the whole thing is.&nbsp; "A gold crown is just a show of wealth and power, and this black material is actually extremely rare, so it's much more valuable than simple gold."&nbsp; The king puts the crown on his head, completing his look.&nbsp;

“Hey, you look like a real king with the crown on.”&nbsp;

King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;glares at him, “that’s almost insulting.”&nbsp;

"I just meant that you don't wear really fancy clothes like most kings, so without the crown, you don't king off much of a king vibe."&nbsp; Wendell looks down at his own clothes.&nbsp; "Speaking of fancy clothes.&nbsp; Will mine be okay?"&nbsp;

"Normally I would have nicer things for you to wear, but we really don't have the time to get ones made for you.&nbsp; People will mostly be staring at me, so it's not too big of an issue."&nbsp; The king takes a deep breath.&nbsp; "Well, I guess it's time.&nbsp; Let's head to the throne room and get this over with."&nbsp;

Like before, the king guides Wendell through the maze of hallways, doors, and stairs.&nbsp; The quiet murmuring of a crowd signals they've reached their destination.&nbsp; From between heavy white curtains, they emerge into the throne room.&nbsp;

“Sit on our right, and only after we have sat down,” he whispers quietly&nbsp;to&nbsp;Wendell.&nbsp;

As they get closer to the thrones, more of the room can be seen.&nbsp; The room is massive, large enough to hold an entire village of people, and the ceiling many stories overhead&nbsp;would make&nbsp;anyone feel quite small.&nbsp; The thrones themselves sit high above the floor below, with a grand staircase leading down.&nbsp;

The king takes a seat on the largest throne, while Wendell sits on a small stool beside him.&nbsp; Just as they’re both getting comfortable, a much harder job on the little stool, a loud voice starts speaking, startling Wendell.&nbsp;

“All rise for your king!&nbsp; The Golden and Radiant One, first of his name, born under the light of the Father’s Moon...”&nbsp; The one doing the shouting is Gottfried, the old man from earlier, who seemed to appear from nowhere.&nbsp;

As the titles stretch on, Wendell moves his attention to better inspecting the room.&nbsp; Initially, he thought the room was made of polished stone, but upon closer viewing, it is actually made from white marble.&nbsp; The silver veins running through the stone is quite subtle but really sets it apart from common stone.&nbsp; The main level is completely devoid of anything, except some columns holding up the second story balcony.&nbsp; On the balcony, there is tiered sitting, like that of an&nbsp;amphitheater, and appears to be where all the upper class gets to sit.&nbsp; At the far end of the room, is a massive doorway, whose open doors would require many men&nbsp;to&nbsp;move.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just beyond the doorway is a line of guards, and beyond them is a huge crowd of the lower class.&nbsp; Although they have to stand outside, it looks like everyone who could come, has, just to get the chance of seeing the king.&nbsp;

Having run out of things to look at, Wendell is thankful when Gottfried finally finishes saying all the king’s titles.&nbsp; “Isn’t this room a little big, even by castle standards?”&nbsp;

“This room is mainly used to hold huge feasts and balls, and not the fun kind.”&nbsp; He gives Wendell a sly wink.&nbsp;

Ignoring the tiger, he asks,&nbsp;“how come I have to sit on the tiny stool?&nbsp; Have you ever sat on this?&nbsp; It’s not very comfortable.”&nbsp; He adjusts himself to further prove his point.&nbsp;

“Being able to sit beside us is a great privilege that only a couple others are allowed.”&nbsp; A smirk appears on his face.&nbsp; “If you want, you could take the empty throne reserved for my future wife.&nbsp; It would cause quite a stir so it probably wouldn’t be worth it.”&nbsp;

“Stool is fine,” Wendell says in defeat.&nbsp;

Almost thirty minutes have passed with nothing happening,&nbsp;so King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;signals to Gottfried.&nbsp; “Does anyone know where he is or how long he’s going to be?”&nbsp;

“The last update I got says he’s in&nbsp;that&nbsp;room and has been in there for quite a while.&nbsp; As you know we can't enter, but I could send someone to check and see if he responds."&nbsp; Being unable to properly serve the king, the look on Gottfried's face is a pained one.&nbsp;

The king pauses and thinks&nbsp;for&nbsp;a moment.&nbsp; “Don’t disturb him.&nbsp; If he’s in&nbsp;that&nbsp;room, then it must be important, whatever he’s doing.”&nbsp;

“To make the king wait, I would certainly hope so.”&nbsp; He shakes his head, unable to believe how someone could act in such a manner.&nbsp; “Although to be honest, I’m not that surprised.&nbsp; I’ve heard some stories about him, and I can't say I’m all that impressed.”&nbsp;

“You ought to be careful what you say.&nbsp; Once all this is done, he’s going to answer only to us.&nbsp; Who knows what he might do&nbsp;to&nbsp;you after such insults?”&nbsp;

Gottfried's eyes go wide and he hurries off without saying a word.&nbsp;

“We’re surprised that you didn’t scold us for that.”&nbsp; With no response, the king looks over to the man beside him.&nbsp; Wendell is slumped over and has somehow managed not to fall over.&nbsp; “Fell asleep?&nbsp; Can’t say we blame you.&nbsp; We wouldn’t mind having a bit of a rest ourselves.&nbsp; Well, we could, but it wouldn’t be for the best.&nbsp; We don’t need to have people whisper the title of ‘Sleepy King’.”&nbsp; Not wanting to show any signs of weakness, the king doesn’t even lean against the arms of his throne and instead continues to sit upright.&nbsp;

Even more time has passed than before.&nbsp; The crowd has gotten quite restless, with their chatter having slowly gotten louder to the point of filling the whole throne room.&nbsp; Normally it takes a few moments to silence a room, especially one with this many people, but without warning, the entire room goes dead silent.&nbsp;

Just as the king&nbsp;registers&nbsp;the sudden strange occurrence, Wendell wakes bolt upright with a&nbsp;pained&nbsp;gasp.&nbsp; “What is it?!&nbsp; What’s happening?!” he asks with panic in his voice.&nbsp;

“You can’t feel that?” Wendell replies weakly&nbsp;

“No, I didn’t notice anything change, other than the silence.”&nbsp;

“It must be your golden ancestry protecting you.&nbsp; It feels like I’m at the bottom of the deepest ocean.”&nbsp; He takes a few ragged breaths.&nbsp; “It’s not a normal pressure like you’d expect.&nbsp; This feels sharp, like countless needle points pressing down.”&nbsp;

“I-Is there anything I can...”&nbsp;

CRACK!&nbsp; A sharp sound like glass cracking reverberates throughout the room.&nbsp;

“What was that?!”&nbsp;

"Look..." Wendel says feebly and points&nbsp;to&nbsp;the doorway at the end of the room.&nbsp;

It doesn't take long for the king to see what he missed in his panic.&nbsp; A large crack has appeared in the wall but continues uninterrupted through the empty space of the doorway.&nbsp;

“I think he’s here,” the king says quietly.&nbsp;

Cracks continue to form, each followed by an almost deafening sound.&nbsp; When enough cracks have formed, entire pieces begin to fall.&nbsp; Even as they fall, they still keep the image they once held, like a painting on glass.&nbsp; When the first piece hits the ground, it instantly shatters, sending shards flying everywhere.&nbsp; As the shards come to a rest, they sink into the floor and a black flower grows and blooms in its place.&nbsp; Behind the holes left by the pieces at the edge is darkness, but when a piece closer to the&nbsp;center&nbsp;falls something light grey is revealed.&nbsp; As more pieces fall, the dark patch of flowers has grown to cover almost half of the floor.&nbsp; With little to support the remains pieces, larger ones begin to fall and more rapidly.&nbsp; The sound is like a glass tower falling over but thankfully doesn't last long.&nbsp; The huge hole reveals what appears to be a moon out in space.&nbsp;

The king has a confused expression on his face.&nbsp; “I recognize the constellations, but not the moon.&nbsp; It looks like the Father’s Moon, but it doesn’t look right.”&nbsp;

“You’re right, it is the Father’s Moon,” Wendell speaks,&nbsp;sounding a little less pained.&nbsp; “The reason you don’t recognize it is because what you’re seeing is the dark side of the moon.&nbsp; No one has ever seen it... until now.”&nbsp;

With wide eyes, the king shifts his view back to the moon.&nbsp;

A shifting river of light pours down from the moon and splashes down on the floor.&nbsp; The light&nbsp;flows&nbsp;like water among the flowers, making them glow from beneath.&nbsp; Almost as if it’s in opposition to the light, a black spot appears at the bottom of the moon.&nbsp; As the spot gets larger, it becomes clear that it’s a dark figure walking down the path of light.&nbsp;

Although the figure is getting closer, the darkness continues to spread on the moon.&nbsp; The light from the moon and path reveals that this darkness is actually a long cloak worn by the figure.&nbsp; The further down the path they walk, the longer their cloak becomes and the more it consumes the moon.&nbsp; Eventually, the entire moon is turned into the black cloak.&nbsp; With nothing holding it up anymore, the cloak gently floats down and drapes itself over the path of light.&nbsp;

The moment the figure steps&nbsp;onto the ground and among the black flowers, the hole behind them beings to fade away.&nbsp; As the castle wall&nbsp;starts&nbsp;to reappear, the light trail holding up the cloak begins to fade.&nbsp; Once the hole has completely vanished, the massive cloak floats down and billows out along the ground.&nbsp; The dark cloth patch behind the figure now matches the one&nbsp;made&nbsp;of flowers in front of him.&nbsp;

The figure spreads his arms out wide with a flourish.&nbsp; “I am&nbsp;Maldeus, who heralds from the Blue Wastes.&nbsp; I am the Grand&nbsp;Magistar&nbsp;Supreme, and the sole guardian of the Ultimus&nbsp;Veneficium&nbsp;Reconditorium."&nbsp; His booming voice fills the entire room and seems to come from every direction.&nbsp; In a slightly quieter voice, "it is a great&nbsp;honor&nbsp;to make your acquaintance, O Golden One."&nbsp; He bows deeply, with his head almost touching the floor.&nbsp;

King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;raises an eyebrow at the voice.&nbsp; He glances at the stool beside him and finds it empty.&nbsp; With a sly grin on his face, he says, "remove your hood at once.&nbsp; We wish to see the face of the one we’re talking to.”&nbsp;

“Your wish is my command, your majesty,” he says with another&nbsp;bow.&nbsp; He brings his hands up to pull the hood back.&nbsp;

The long cloak splayed out behind him begins to move on its own and spiral around&nbsp;Maldeus.&nbsp; The cloak lifts up, spinning faster and faster.&nbsp; As it spins, it begins picking up flower petals and scattering them all over the throne room.&nbsp; The black tornado of cloth and petals reaches all the&nbsp;way&nbsp;up&nbsp;to&nbsp;the ceiling.&nbsp; The cloth covering the flowers quickly recedes, and as the bottom lists off the ground it takes the flowers with it and vanishes through the ceiling.&nbsp;

The king’s suspicion was correct.&nbsp; Although he looks different, his new retainer stands before him.&nbsp;

Wendell, although he calls himself&nbsp;Maldeus, is now clad in brilliant white and shining gold.&nbsp; His hair has gone silvery white and his eyes are now gold, both matching his clothes.&nbsp;

Instead of the grey cloak from earlier,&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;is now wearing a white trench coat with popped lapels.&nbsp; The coat is almost entirely open, revealing a muscular chest with white chest hair and a matching treasure trail.&nbsp; The coat also has his muscular legs exposed, which are covered with translucent white tights.&nbsp; On his feet are white boots that match his coat.&nbsp; A golden sash tied around his lower waist keeps the coat somewhat closed.&nbsp; The ends of the sash hang over his crotch and act like a loincloth since his tights are see-through.&nbsp;

The coat is sleeveless, showing off his bulging biceps.&nbsp; The only thing on his arms are some white gloves that reach up a quarter of his forearms.&nbsp; All the fabric he’s wearing has contrasting white or gold embroidery.&nbsp; The designs seem to be&nbsp;a mix&nbsp;of&nbsp;magical and decorative shapes and patterns.&nbsp;

The only visible piece of&nbsp;jewelry&nbsp;is a golden diadem inlaid with white gems.&nbsp; The gems seem&nbsp;to&nbsp;waver and move as if they were alive and might suddenly vanish.&nbsp;

A few moments of silence go by.&nbsp; Gottfried is the first to speak, “now that introductions have been made, let us begin the coronation.”&nbsp;

Now that the silence has been broken, everyone, both inside and out, begins talking about what they just saw.&nbsp;

“Now if we could have your attention,” the king tries, but the excitement proves too much.&nbsp;

Before he can try again,&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;holds his hand up to the king to stop him.&nbsp; Spreading his arms out, he booms, “SILENCE!&nbsp; Your king is speaking!”&nbsp; His voice is loud enough to be heard almost throughout the entire city.&nbsp;

Everyone is silent and doesn't dare make a sound.&nbsp;

King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;has a grimace on his face, and his ears flat against his head.&nbsp; “My hearing was too good anyway,” he says quietly to himself, but both him and&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;smile at each other.&nbsp; He clears his throat.&nbsp; “Have you brought an object on which to make your promise?”&nbsp;

Maldeus&nbsp;bends down and picks&nbsp;the last black flower from between his feet.&nbsp;

“Then you may begin.”&nbsp;

As in an offering, he holds the flower up towards the king.&nbsp; “Through this ancient rite, I hereby pledge my life to you.&nbsp; Through you may pass on to the next world, your descendants will inherit this promise, and with it my soul.&nbsp; Only with my death shall this promise ever be broken.&nbsp; Until my passing, I promise to serve you and your lineage, however you all see fit.”&nbsp; He gently tosses the flower to the king.&nbsp;

The flower slowly floats over the large distance between them.&nbsp; The king reaches out and easily catches it in his large hand.&nbsp; “Through this ancient rite, I hereby accept your pledge.&nbsp; Though we may waver, we will always try our utmost to make proper use of your awesome power.&nbsp; I promise that as long as you live, you will never regret your decision.”&nbsp; The king tosses the flower into the air.&nbsp;

“It is done!”&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;booms.&nbsp;

“It is done!” King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;shouts.&nbsp;

The flower&nbsp;erupts&nbsp;in a bright light that fills the entire throne room.&nbsp; Even those outside have to cover their eyes or look away.&nbsp;

When the light fades,&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;is holding onto the flower.&nbsp; “I will find a container suitable for this,” he says only&nbsp;to&nbsp;the king.&nbsp;

Once again Gottfried steps&nbsp;forward.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The coronation has come to an end.&nbsp; All present are welcome to walk the gardens while the feast is prepared.”&nbsp;

Maldeus&nbsp;begins walking toward the king, who in turn stands and smiles at him.&nbsp; As he's walking, he begins to fade and disappears completely before reaching the stairs.&nbsp;

“Find out where he went, we will wait&nbsp;in&nbsp;our chamber until you bring news&nbsp;of&nbsp;his whereabouts.”&nbsp;

“I will do so, but you really should go and make an appearance.&nbsp; There were some unexpected guests, ones who would be&nbsp;saddened&nbsp;if you didn’t show.”&nbsp; This was&nbsp;code&nbsp;for: they showed up&nbsp;to&nbsp;cause trouble and if you don’t show, trouble is exactly what you’ll get.&nbsp;

The king&nbsp;let’s&nbsp;out a big sigh.&nbsp; “You’re right.”&nbsp; He&nbsp;begins the walk&nbsp;to&nbsp;the headache waiting for him&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;gardens.&nbsp;

Everyone he sees greets and congratulates him on the new Royal Magister.&nbsp; Over and over he hears what a spectacle it was, and over and over he says how glad he is they could make it and that they enjoyed the coronation.&nbsp; These gatherings are always the same.&nbsp; Say what you must, not what you want and always to the same people.&nbsp; Surround by people who couldn’t care less about him and dragged away from those he considers friends.&nbsp;

Someone places their hands lightly on the king’s shoulders.&nbsp; “You simply must ask your little Magister where he gets his clothes made,” a woman’s voice says quietly into his ear.&nbsp;

A friend.&nbsp; "Lady Galilei, how nice to see you.&nbsp; You are looking as lovely as ever."&nbsp; Before him stands a woman almost as tall as he is.&nbsp; She's wearing a tight-fitting&nbsp;wine-colored&nbsp;dress, which makes it look like she just came from a party.&nbsp; The many golden bangles around her wrist jingle whenever she moves and matches her long blond hair.&nbsp;

“How nice to see you as well.&nbsp; You are looking positively radiant, O Golden One.”&nbsp;

They both laugh at the formalities.&nbsp;

“Oh, dear.&nbsp; Don’t look now, but you’ll never guess who’s coming.”&nbsp;

The king tenses up not wanting to look behind him.&nbsp; “Please don’t leave us with her,” he begs in a whisper.&nbsp;

“Sorry, I’ve got to run!” she says loud enough so others could hear to secure her escape.&nbsp; “Don’t worry, I’ve heard she’s gotten better,” she whispers back.&nbsp;

“Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?”&nbsp;

Lady Galilei just smiles coyly and shrugs her shoulder.&nbsp; She begins to walk away, but turns around and says, “I wasn’t kidding about the clothes.&nbsp; My little one would look gorgeous in them.”&nbsp; With a wink, she disappears around a hedge leaving King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;to&nbsp;his fate.&nbsp;

It seems like the talking will never end, but then Gottfried announces that the feast is ready.&nbsp; The king says his goodbyes and breathes a sigh of relief.&nbsp;

Upon re-entering the throne room, the once empty floor is now filled with tables that stretch from one end to the other.&nbsp; Countless plates piled with food cover the tables and the entire room is lit by just as many candles and torches.&nbsp; Sitting in front of the thrones is an ornate white table that seems to have far too much food for one person.&nbsp; Along with the table, another small throne has been placed on the righthand side of the king's larger throne.&nbsp; Already sitting in the new throne is&nbsp;Maldeus.&nbsp;

The king walks over to his throne and sits down, all the while ignoring&nbsp;Maldeus.&nbsp; “Well, how nice of you to finally join us,” the king says with a little disdain&nbsp;in&nbsp;his voice.&nbsp;

“I never left your side, your majesty.”&nbsp;

The king finally turns to look at him with doubt on his face.&nbsp;

"Tell Lady Galilei that I made these clothes myself and that I'd be happy to make some for her little one,"&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;says with a bit of a smug look on his face.&nbsp;

“Sorry we doubted you.”&nbsp;

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, seeing is believing.&nbsp; And as I learned earlier from the bath, if you were hard then I’m sure everyone down there would be able to see.”&nbsp; He looks at the king from the corner of his eye and gives him a sly smile.&nbsp;

The king tries to contain his snickers.&nbsp; “Behave!”&nbsp;

"I'm always on my best&nbsp;behavior.&nbsp; You though..."&nbsp;

The king gives his foot a little kick and&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;gives him one back.&nbsp; “We’re surprised you aren’t confused by Galilei.&nbsp; Do you know of her?”&nbsp;

“No, I don't.&nbsp; She doesn't seem like the kind of woman to dress her children in clothes as revealing as this," he gestures at his clothes.&nbsp; "She is the second tallest of everyone here, you being the first.&nbsp; So, I assumed ‘little one' was probably a pet name for her beau."&nbsp;

The king smiles.&nbsp; “We’re impressed.&nbsp; That was some excellent deduction.”&nbsp;

“I think you exaggerate.&nbsp; Most people would have come to a similar conclusion.”&nbsp;

“If you knew the people here as we did, then you'd know we are telling the truth."&nbsp;

"It sounds like it's more of an insult to them, than a compliment to me."&nbsp;

People are still getting themselves seated since some rather chatty individuals are holding up the rest.&nbsp; Still unable to eat, the king leans over to&nbsp;Maldeus, “once all this is done, we would like to speak to you in our chamber.”&nbsp;

“This position has been vacant for quite a while, so I have a lot of work to catch up on.&nbsp; Talking in my chamber would be far more&nbsp;convenient&nbsp;for me.”&nbsp;

The king leans in close enough to tickle&nbsp;Maldeus’ ear and whispers, “our chamber has a nicer bed.”&nbsp;

“What am I going to do with you?”&nbsp;

“You took the words right out of our mouth.&nbsp; What&nbsp;are&nbsp;we going to do with you?&nbsp; Would you like to guess?”&nbsp;

“Please behave in front of everyone.”&nbsp; He tries to give him a stern look, but the smile betrays him.&nbsp;

“We’re keeping our hands&nbsp;to&nbsp;ourselves, so we think we’re doing pretty well.”&nbsp;

“I don’t know if that’s something to be proud of, but at least it’s something, I guess.”&nbsp;

The king gives him a big toothy grin and&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;can’t help but smile too.&nbsp;

“Stop fooling around and start eating so everyone else can start... and so they can stop staring,” he says the last few words under his breath.&nbsp;

King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;stands and lifts a goblet&nbsp;in&nbsp;the air, and everyone else does the same.&nbsp; He brings the goblet to his mouth and downs the entire thing.&nbsp; Only a few people empty their glass, the others just take a sip and begin eating.&nbsp;

The quiet sounds of people eating fill the air but soon becomes a little louder as more alcohol is consumed.&nbsp; With many people are already done eating, dessert is quickly brought out by a procession of servants.&nbsp;

The king, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be stopping any time soon.&nbsp; Most of the food on the table has already been eaten and the pitcher of wine has already been filled up a few times.&nbsp; He looks over to&nbsp;Maldeus, who is just sipping on a glass of water.&nbsp; “You’re not&nbsp;done&nbsp;already are you?!” he says a little too loudly.&nbsp;

"Yes, I am.&nbsp; I'll have to tell the cooks they did an excellent job.&nbsp; That chocolate crème&nbsp;brûlée&nbsp;was especially delicious.”&nbsp; He takes another sip of water before continuing.&nbsp; “Frankly, I’m the one who should be shocked that you’re still eating, even though you are larger than me.”&nbsp;

“Well, if you’re done you can leave if you want.”&nbsp; The king doesn’t hide the sadness&nbsp;in&nbsp;his voice very well.&nbsp;

“I’ll stay.”&nbsp;

“You really like our company that much?”&nbsp;

“I want to make sure that if you drink too much, you won’t become a problem.”&nbsp;

“Oh, you really do care.”&nbsp; The king bumps shoulders with&nbsp;Maldeus.&nbsp;

“It is my duty to care.”&nbsp;

The king scowls and stuffs more food in his mouth.&nbsp;

After quite some time goes by,&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;calls Gottfried over.&nbsp; “Do you mind if I say a few words to the people?”&nbsp;

“No, not at all.&nbsp; Go right ahead.”&nbsp;

Maldeus&nbsp;stands and claps his hands together, which reverberates through the room.&nbsp; With everyone now staring at him, he speaks, “I’d like to thank you all for coming.&nbsp; It means the world to the Golden One and me.&nbsp; Please eat and drink your fill, but I’m afraid the king must retire for the night.&nbsp; He’s had a little too much to drink, and I fear his plate may soon become his pillow.”&nbsp;

Laughter fills the room, although most people are only laughing out of courtesy or drunkenness.&nbsp; The king, who almost has his head on the empty throne’s seat, hardy stirs at the sound.&nbsp;

“I bid you all a safe and good night,”&nbsp;&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;finishes with a bow and his hands spread out before him.&nbsp; He brings his hands together and&nbsp;giant&nbsp;floor&nbsp;to&nbsp;ceiling curtains appear from the walls.&nbsp;

It only takes a few seconds for the upper level to be completely blocked from view.&nbsp; From behind the curtains is genuine applause.&nbsp; The curtains act as a window to the outside, showing a view of the night sky that only a few with large telescopes can see.&nbsp;

Maldeus&nbsp;turns to the dozing king.&nbsp; “Now, let’s get you to bed.”&nbsp;

"Do you require any assistance?" Gottfried asks.&nbsp;

Maldeus&nbsp;just gives him a bit of a smirk.&nbsp;

“Right.&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course&nbsp;you don’t.”&nbsp;

“Thank you anyway.&nbsp; The thought is very much appreciated, and don’t worry, there will be many times I will call upon you for help.”&nbsp; He gives Gottfried a smile, who surprisingly gives him one back.&nbsp; “Since the king can’t say it right now, I will.&nbsp; Thank you for all your hard work and make sure you get a good night's rest.”&nbsp;

“Thank you, and you as well.&nbsp; Welcome to the family.”&nbsp;

Maldeus&nbsp;gives him another smile and a nod.&nbsp;

With the wave of a hand, the large table floats up and away, allowing access to the king.&nbsp;&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;puts his hand on the king’s chest and effortlessly lifts him off the throne.&nbsp; The table floats back down once they are clear of the area, and&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;pushes the king over so he’s laying down, but still floating in the air.&nbsp; With his hand still on the king’s chest,&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;begins walking and the king following beside him.&nbsp;

Despite having only walked this path once, and in the opposite direction,&nbsp;Maldeus&nbsp;find his way to the king’s chamber without fault.&nbsp; Once inside, a wave of the hand has the covers on the bed pulled back neatly in preparation for the king.&nbsp; He brings his hands together over the king and then pulls them away.&nbsp; Everything the king is wearing slides off his body and finds its proper resting place.&nbsp; He takes the king over to his bed and tucks him in, sitting on the edge.&nbsp;

“Well, you got me in your chamber and on your bed no less.&nbsp; What are you going to do with me?”&nbsp;

Soft snoring is the only sound the king makes.&nbsp;

“I thought as much.”&nbsp; He gives King&nbsp;Reuleaux&nbsp;a goodnight kiss on the forehead.&nbsp; Before leaving he places something on the table next to the crown box.&nbsp; The object is the black flower on which they made their promises.&nbsp; The flower is now planted in a stylized version of the king's crown and is made of the same rare black metal.&nbsp;

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/5nzMlAEm