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The rest of the morning was dull as Thales rifled through the pantry looking for the olive oil Maenus had requested. Almene had returned last night to the emperor's summer home and Maenus made Varius help clean up the remains of the party from the courtyard, so he was alone with his thoughts until he found his quarry, a tiny terra-cotta flask, and set out with Maenus for the baths.

They arrived a few minutes later, Maenus' residence being near town, and presented themselves to the imperial guards who filled the atrium in an unsubtle display of force. A few moments later, they were inside, and Thales helped Maenus out of his toga, tunic, and sandals before quickly stripping himself.

"The emperor will be in the warm bath already," Maenus said as Thales hung his tunic on the hooks. "You stay in the exercise hall for a moment and guard the oil you brought; I'll fetch you if I need you." Thales nodded as Maenus turned and sauntered to the tepidarium. Everyone knew better than to trust the bath staff with such a precious item.

The palaestra was already well populated when Thales came to it, even this early in the morning. Four wolves and a fox, all young males in the middle of their military years, were gathered at the north end throwing weighted discuses, as another wolf and an older stag wrestled nearby under the watch of a gray stallion. Along the western wall sat another lion, brow furrowed as he stared into a scroll on his lap. The palaestra was both gym and library; together with the adjoining baths, it was the social center of the whole town. Thales briefly considered joining the discus game, but since he didn't know when Maenus might need him, instead moved to the wall and browsed the scrolls set in their little divots. He settled on the transcript of a play he had never heard of, and settled down to read, cradling the precious jar of oil between his thighs as he lost himself in a thoroughly mediocre Imperial tragedy.

He was most of the way through the first act when a lupine shadow fell across the scroll and lingered, its caster unspeaking. Thales looked up with a scowl. Despite the dearth of artistic merit in his current pursuit, he still found the interruption mildly irritating. At least they could be so polite as to call out?

The sun behind the wolf obscured his features, but as there was no mistaking those eyes. The wolf smiled as he watched recognition dawn on the fox's face, and then Thales bolted up, nearly dropping the jar of oil on the ground.

"Emperor," Thales exclaimed, saluting. "My apologies, I was not expecting you."

"I finally meet Maenus' favorite retainer," the wolf said. "He always speaks highly of your oratory, and after last night's performance I finally understand why."

"You flatter me," Thales said. "I studied under Titus Vicilius Barba and Marcus Cornelius Castor before Maenus made me his retainer and occasional tutor for his family." The emperor likely did not know or care much about the various oratorical schools, but Maenus always liked it pointed out, as a proxy for his own devotion to the arts.

"Really? I know Old Beard from my military days," the wolf said. "He trained you well."

Thales laughed in surprise. "He would beat us with a switch if we called him that. Castor thought it hilarious, though, and used it at every opportunity." Remembering himself, he looked around the palaestra. "If I may, did my master not accompany you?"

"He went into the hot bath, but I had already come from it," the wolf said. "He said you would entertain me until he returned."

"Of course," Thales said, and held up the jar in his paws. "He asked me to bring along this jar of olive oil, should you want me to oil your coat. It is infused with saffron from Rhasos." He unstoppered it and held it toward the wolf's muzzle.

"I appreciate the sentiment," the emperor said, obligingly wafting the vapors. "Accompany me to away from the scrolls, will you? I would hate to spoil them."

Thales quickly furled the scroll and replaced it in its nook before jogging after the wolf, to a low bench on the south wall where the wolf proceeded to lay down. Now that his form was no longer obscured by the sun, the wolf's muscles stood out on his back through his deep gray coat. Thales poured the oil across his paw and began to work it into the wolf's dark fur.

Even when he wasn't looking directly at Thales, Emperor Aemilius retained his magnetic charm. Thales could see, out of the corner of his eye, that the lion on the bench was watching them subtly from over the top of his scroll, and he imagined the exercisers behind him were similarly distracted. Thales kneaded the wolf's muscles softly, paws burrowing under the fur of his shoulders and kneading away the tension. He had worked his way to the small of the emperor's back before either spoke again.

"Maenus tells me you go by Thales, as in the ancient philosopher," the emperor said. Thales murmured assent, and the wolf continued, "An unusual name these days. Did your parents love philosophy as much as Maenus tells me you do?"

"No," Thales laughed as he brushed his paws along the dark gray tail. "I was named Alexander, my lord Emperor."

"Ah," said the wolf, "a far more common name in Rhasos."

"Yes, Emperor, and given that there were others of the name at Barba's school, he and Castor took to calling me 'Thales,' because I took to oratory like a fish to water. The name stuck."

"I prefer to go by Aemilius outside the Senate hall, Thales," the wolf said. "I am a regular citizen outside my duties." The emperor--Aemilius, now--raised his tail as Thales released it, and Thales refreshed the oil on his paws before continuing over Aemilius' ass and down his thighs. The wolf's rear was solid muscle under Thales' grip, and the fox worked the haunches perhaps more enthusiastically than was proper. Luckily, Aemilius did not seem to notice, making a pleased grumble sound as the tension was worked from him. "How well do you know Rhasos?"

"I have never seen it with my own eyes," Thales said wistfully, "but I studied the histories, both under Castor, and in the many scrolls my father brought with him when he moved here, before he married my mother." He lifted each leg and ran his paws over the whole of it before tapping Aemilius' thigh to signal he was ready to turn.

Aemilius shifted to lie on his back as he spoke. "Maenus tells me of a Rhaic tradition of male courtesans and lovers." Thales nodded at him. "Even among male rulers."

"Indeed," Thales averred. "They were a standard part of a retinue. Much like an ordinary bachelor's concubinus, but," Thales stopped himself from saying lover, "part of the harem. Why do you ask?"

Aemilius grimaced slightly as Thales worked through the fur on his chest. "I am trying to figure out if they might have sent some over to our shores, you see. Maenus claims they did, and there was a great tradition of males in our imperial harems. Of course, I know that our empresses often take consorts, like in the case of intermarriage between, say, a Lumano like me and a Phraesidian, where the union would likely not produce children."

"Just as Lumani who marry a non-wolf have a lupine surrogate to bear them a child and carry the line," Thales said, working his way down the wolf's left arm.

"But Maenus also claims we males kept male harems for our own pleasure as well, after the example of Rhasos."

"I helped him with his research," Thales responded. "If this is about that delegation and the male courtesans who received it, I am certain of my translation."

The wolf muttered a curse, and Thales tensed up. "I had hoped he was mistaken, somehow."

"Well, apparently that tradition here in Luma was ended by Aemilius Murifex, so you don't need to worry over undue Rhaic influence or anything."

The extant Aemilius laughed. "I'm his grandson by adoption, not blood. I share very little with him beyond a name." He obligingly lifted one of his knees into the air and away from his meridian, allowing Thales to rub down his thighs and groin. "Indeed, I have a great fondness for the ancient tyrants of Rhasos, and hope to adopt their wisdom."

Thales held his breath for a moment as he cupped the wolf's nuts in his oiled paw. They were large and heavy, sitting loosely in their sac due to the heat of the bath. He suddenly became excruciatingly aware of his own balls, rising and falling gently underneath him as a mild breeze caressed them. Shaking his head a moment to clear it, he bathed each of Aemilius' heavy jewels in the perfumed oil, before gently reaching into the space behind them. "I'm glad to hear it," he said, gently rubbing the fur that covered Aemilius' perineum and trying not to think too hard about what he was doing. The last thing he needed was a hard-on now. "What is the problem, then?"

"Time," Aemilius sighed contentedly as Thales withdrew the paw from under his balls and ran an oil-slicked finger around the rim of his sheath. The wolf's manhood had not exposed itself yet, but its sheath was noticeably fuller. Thales blinked in surprise at his own satisfaction. He had sucked his first dick just yesterday, and already he hungered for the visceral thrill of arousing other males. No wonder his people prized such activities. They were intoxicating.

This, however, was probably not the time, he thought to himself. He was fondling the emperor, of all people, and in public. Maybe in ancient Rhasos, he could have gotten away with that, but perhaps not here. "You are all oiled."

Thales couldn't help but read just the slightest hint of disappointment in Aemilius' groan as the athletic wolf clambered to his feet. "I feel invigorated, thank you," he said, admiring his fur. "Now to quickly rinse the excess off before I rejoin Maenus in the tepidarium. I'm sure he is out of the hot bath by now." He stalked over to a waiting bowl of water and quickly inverted it over himself. "Give the jar to one of the guards, and they will see it back to my villa."

"Of course," Thales said, realizing he was expected to follow.

Maenus was alone in the tepidarium, save for three other males off in the far corner of the long, shallow bath. Aemilius stepped into the water and sat down beside the older wolf, Thales following closely behind.

"Thank you for that infused oil, Maenus," Aemilius said, gesturing for Thales to sit down beside him. "I feel like a new wolf after your Thales applied it so adeptly."

"You positively glow, Aemilius," Maenus responded. "I'm glad you found it agreeable."

"Perhaps," the young emperor suggested, leaning back against the side of the pool, "we could just give the delegation a few drums of that stuff."

Maenus tutted. "If you could get it here from Rhasos in sufficient quantity in time, you would also have no trouble finding and hiring suitable foxes from the region to join your harem."

Thales suddenly realized that Aemilius was looking at him. "You need foxes in particular?"

Maenus looked about to snap at him, but Aemilius cut him off. "The safest way to conduct this diplomacy is by exactly replicating the terms of successful encounters previously. It would be imprudent to say more here," Aemilius glanced meaningfully at the other inhabitants of the bath, "but suffice to say that Maenus believes the delegation was entertained by both male and female courtesans, and I only have females presently."

"The texts we read did mention the males by name," Thales agreed.

Aemilius thought about it for a long moment. "Perhaps we could find some in the city? We would need a certain amount of discretion, but maybe your servant here could ask around for us, Maenus. He knows the arts, too, so he could judge whether they would be good additions."

"So you would agree, then, to expanding to a full harem?" Maenus said.

"I never heard from Munifex or Gratianus anything about this," Aemilius said, "but even so, I have come around to the idea of it. If the Rhaic tyrants found it pleasing to keep male courtesans, surely so will I."

"Well, I'm glad of that," Maenus said, "though I doubt we'll be able to find and groom them in time, anyway. Even Thales can hardly be expected to know every other educated vulpine servant or freeman in the city."

Thales only dimly noticed his name being spoken. He was thinking of the imperial palace, of seeing Almene every day--even if they couldn't have sex still. Courtesans were entertainers, not mere servants; instead of housework, he could devote himself to reading the ancients. And to singing poetry with the prettiest vixen in the world, every day. He would never have to be interrupted in his studies again, except perhaps to warm Aemilius' bed. And that, Thales was rapidly coming to realize, might be its own pleasure.

"What do you say, Thales?" Maenus interrupted him impatiently.

Thales looked up, then over at Aemilius, who returned the gaze. Under the water, he felt the younger wolf's tail flick rhythmically against his thigh, and he reached his hand down to run his fingers gently through its wet luxurious fur.

"I think my master speaks rightly," he said. "There's no guarantee we could find a suitable fox for your retinue in time to train them, even ignoring whether they would be willing."

Maenus grumbled in agreement, and Aemilius sighed and nodded. "But," Thales continued. Both wolves looked at him expectantly, even hopefully, and Thales paused a moment to recollect himself. "In the interests of the empire," he hesitated again, "I could volunteer myself."

"No," Maenus said immediately, "that isn't necessary."

Aemilius laughed and turned to the older wolf. "So forthright, Maenus! I think you just don't wish to lose such a poet and retainer from your employ."

"I won't bother pretending otherwise," Maenus retorted. "He's worth his weight in gold, as an entertainer and a bookkeeper, and he tutors my grandchildren besides."

"Respectfully," Thales said, "you both tell me there is not much time, and that you absolutely require the candidate be a fox, and male."

"And well versed in poetry and oratory and such," Aemilius interjected with a nod. "My harem is not just for sexual pleasure; they entertain visitors and influence the arts."

"With deference to your judgment of it," Thales said, "I do have that training as well." Maenus, caught between pride and irritation, scowled as he nodded along.

"You understand what you are volunteering for?" Aemilius asked with a sly grin. "You'll be a consort, and as a matter of pride I'll be expected to treat you as one, in every way."

"I would thank you not to drool over my retainer so openly," Maenus snapped, and the two wolves argued back and forth some more.

Thales' cock swelled at the thought, and he brought a paw to it to help it the rest of the way out of its sheath. "It would be my pleasure, my lords" he interjected, half standing with the ostensible purpose of adjusting his posture. His erection only momentarily crested from the water, red and passionate, but he saw Aemilius smile, and felt a hand on the small of his back, and he knew it had been seen.

Maenus also noticed the display, as evident from his aggrieved tone. "When you came to my house with that idiot Carvanus and claimed to need a favor, beside eating me out of house and home, I did not think you meant to seduce and poach my servants, as well."

Aemilius' hand tugged at Thales and guided him to sit pressed tightly to the emperor's flank. Thales did, and the paw left his back to glide over his thigh and trace the edge of his sheath. He shivered violently at the touch. "You are right, O loyal advisor," Aemilius said, his voice languorous and assured of victory. "Expropriation of your retainer here would be poor thanks for all your help in this matter. I will buy out his contract."

"I would still have to find a new retainer on short notice," Maenus huffed. "My grandchildren are almost of schooling age and require a tutor. To say nothing of bookkeeping and poetry."

"Your devotion to the state is unparalleled, Maenus," Aemilius said. Thales could feel the wolf's tail wagging hysterically against his own, but Aemilius' face was serene. "I should not be surprised to hear you referred to as Maenus Pius next time you are at the capital."

Maenus barked a laugh. "I'll believe it when I see it engraved on a monument." Thales saw the old wolf's ears perk up, though, as he rose out of the water. "I will send you the bill immediately upon returning home. No need to see me off, either of you." The old wolf stomped away towards the atrium, but he couldn't quite conceal the wag of his tail.

"You knew how to get to him," Thales said approvingly, looking after his now former master. "He always felt a bit unappreciated by your father."

Aemilius laughed. "Gratianus was spare with praise, it's true. I frankly thought he disliked me up until the day he adopted me and named me his heir. That's how he got the cognomen 'thankful,' as a taunt." He pushed his paw down the length of Thales' shaft, drawing out a pleased gasp. "I aim to make up for his shortcomings, both in gratitude and culture."

Thales reached his paw over to Aemilius' groin, and found his dick was fully unsheathed as well. He began pumping it vigorously, sliding his knee over the wolf's thigh to give them both easier access to each others' manhood. He grinned at Aemilius as they pleasured each other. "In all my studies of Rhaic culture, I never found any philosopher who equated 'culture' with 'handjobs in the public baths.'"

"Oh, surely they must have," the wolf said nonchalantly. "I can prove it."

"How?" Thales asked, reaching under the wolf's paw with his right paw to cup his own balls. He could feel his knot forming already, and Aemilius' was not far behind.

"Poetry, plays, didactic lectures, gladiatorial combat, oratory; what do they all have in common?" Aemilius looked at Thales, then with a smirk, back out at the rest of the room. "An audience."

Thales followed his gaze around the room. A lion and a leopard sat talking with a wolf, two foxes and a horse stood near the entrance to the hot bath and loudly debated whether they were ready to go in, four or so more wolves were scattered about and casually circulating to greet acquaintances. And now that Thales was paying attention, every so often, one or another would slide a glance toward Aemilius and him, casually entangled in each others' bodies, not showy, but also not quite subtle.

"You aren't worried about that?" Thales asked.

"I spend every waking moment of my life observed these days," the wolf casually said, massaging the tip of Thales' cock under the water. "The only upside to it is that all these males here do not have the standing in society to ruin me if I occasionally break a rule about not cumming in the warm bath. In fact," he said, nodding towards the stallion in the corner by the hot room, "at least one of them would be disappointed if we stopped."

Thales looked over and saw that the stallion was indeed watching them attentively, the foxes he was with chatting unaware beside him as his virility slowly dropped from its sheath into the water and kept thickening. The stallion rubbed himself absently, two fingers tracing a nipple as he stared across the water.

"One of the wolves over there is enjoying the show, too," Thales muttered. Though still in conversation, the white wolf had a full and obvious erection bobbing just above the water line, which he was taking pains to ignore, though his companion laughed and batted at it in jest. The wolf protested and gestured with his head towards Thales and Aemilius, and when the lion glanced over, the emperor leaned back and stretched until his manhood, and Thares' paw on it, breached the water. The lion's jaw went slack and it was the white wolf's turn to laugh and swat the feline's burgeoning erection.

Aemilius suddenly gasped, and Thales redoubled his pace until he felt the rod in his paw pulse in his grip. Aemilius held his breath as he came, cock twitching in his Thales' grip, and then let out a long, ragged sigh in satisfaction.

"Marvelous to feel," the wolf said. "Exactly like I had imagined."

Thales' brow furrowed. "This is the first time you've done this?" he asked in surprise.

Aemilius laughed. "Did you figure I do this regularly? No, I've traded services like this in private once or twice, back in my days on duty in the far west. And I've bedded my harem in full view of friends, of course, but this? No." He paused and looked around at his erstwhile audience, eyes lingering on the several full and semi-hard erections those who had noticed them were sporting. "I have to say, though, I could get used to it."

All through his explanation, Aemilius had kept jacking Thales off, and between the furious grip and the utterly collected narration, the fox finally found it too much to bear. He gripped the wolf's thigh and threw his hips forward as he unleashed his seed into the pool, in full view of any patron who cared to look.

"You're a very pretty fox, you know that?" Aemilius said as his companion sagged back into the bench beside him. "I'm glad we finally convinced Maenus to give you up."

Thares raised a brow. "Finally?"

For the millionth time that day, Aemilius gave him the self-satisfied smile of one whose plans were working out. "You didn't think I just happened on you today, did you? Maenus has been hiding his favorite fox from me ever since this whole business with the male harem was first broached, months ago. Meeting you and seeing if you would be suitable--and amenable, for that matter--had been the plan all along."

"But Maenus was certain you resisted the very idea of a male consort."

"You don't get far in politics without a talent for misdirection, Thales."

"How did you even hear of me, if Maenus was not responsible?" Thales protested.

"I have your lover to thank for the introduction," Aemilius said, insouciant and relaxed as he gazed about the room. "Almene has known about my search since it began. She gave me your name and a--brief description of your assets." He looked to the stunned fox, and then winked. "Your talent for lyric poetry and facility with history, I mean."

"Of course," Thales cackled at the joke, then sobered as he thought about the implications of Aemilius knowing about his romance with Almene. "She's not in trouble for--I mean?"

"Oh, no, she knows the limits, and I have full confidence she has kept to them," the wolf assured him. "I'm sure she had selfish motives as well for suggesting you conveniently end up joining her in my employ, but after seeing how you two performed last night," Aemilius threw his arm over Thares' shoulders and leaned in conspiratorially, "I have to admit I'm rather excited to have the pair of you together at my disposal."

"I live to serve," Thares said, and lapped once at Aemilius' muzzle.

"I will hold you to that, fox," Aemilius said. "Now, if you have no objection, you will come with me up to my villa directly. Maenus is a man of honor, but he never explicitly gave his word about letting you go, and I have no interest in giving him the opportunity to renegotiate."

"You know he'll gouge you for the privilege," Thales said. "He likes and respects you, but he still carries his resentment of how Gratianus treated him, and this will probably inflame that."

Aemilius rolled his eyes. "Some gold, wine, and liberal application of that fancy new cognomen I've offered him should do the trick. And if not, two of my girls specialize in nursing wounded egos, and I'll sic both of them on him at once. He may fancy himself to have outgrown youthful lust, but I find even just being hand-fed grapes and cooed over for an afternoon mollifies the most stubborn patrician."

"Maenus is technically plebeian," Thales said.

"They aren't immune either," Aemilius retorted, suddenly standing up, erection cresting proudly out of the water. The various other bathers all stared in Aemilius' direction as he slowly stretched his arms over his head and arched his back.

He's luxuriating in this, Thales thought, as he watched in similar transfixion as the emperor shook his torso dry, then ran his paws through the fur on his stomach. The white wolf and his leonine companion had stopped taunting each other and were instead massaging their groins, conversation forgotten. Thales' own member was too sensitive to play with, and it was a crying shame.

"Come on, Thales" Aemilius said at last, after he had had his fill of teasing the other patrons, "I want to get back to the villa in time for a late lunch. The patrons here will just get to feast their eyes on our intimacy."

"It's their lucky day," Thares laughed, as he watched the stallion in the corner's jaw drop nearly as low as his erection. He stood and followed the emperor out.