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Beggars Can't Be Choosers

Chapter One

• Revision 2 -

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

8thJuly, 2019

All Rights Reserved.

Passing through the crowd, a regal looking Whitetail stag moved without pause or break, his finely tailored robes and cloak swishing about his ankles, barely above the muck and filth of the cobblestones he trod. No one dared speak to him, and no one even though to glance inside that dark, shadowy hood. Only part of his white furred muzzle was seen, and the characteristic black stripes either side of his nose flickered and writhed as he wrinkled his nose in disgust at the stench that flooded this part of the city, and secretly, he longed for nothing more than to do that which he had come to do, and be gone. It was almost more than he could bear, the smell of the unwashed peasants that flowed around him like flotsam on the nearby river, the appalling stench of the sewage that was dumped into the channel in the centre of the cobblestone roadway....

Yet as he walked, his cloven hooves clicking on the cobblestones, the peasants seemingly magically melted away at his approach, leaving a respectful distance around him. Clopping along the crowded marketplace street, his gnarled staff held in one hoof-paw, he seemed oblivious to the hectic chaos of the market. His cloven hooves, polished to a gleaming shine, clicked on the cobblestones as he walked, lost in his own thoughts.

A cry rang out from the maelstrom that filled the marketplace, and the stag paused; his grip instinctively tightening on his staff, yet he did not turn his head nor make any other gesture of recognition. All around him the scruffy peasants and nobles rubbed shoulders and bartered for assorted wares, yet there was always maintained a respectful distance around this strange, enigmatic stag.

A large, well-muscled wolf anthro strode through the crowd, then up onto the rough stage. He was dressed in the guise of a warrior, a sword belted at his waist, the tight fitting tunic he wore clinging to him like a new layer of fur and leaving his well-muscled shoulders and arms free. His left ear pierced with a large gold hoop earring, and tribal scarring on his muzzle, marking his tribal affiliations. Few in the marketplace did not know of this wolf, and his particular merchandise he sold.

He was Urak-ka, the Slave master.

Raising his voice, Urak-ka cleared his throat and the nearest of the peasants all stopped and turned towards him as he banged a heavy staff against the rough-hewn planking of the stage.

"Welcome, one and all!" Yelled the wolf, his voice deep and commanding.

With a gesture, Urak-ka motioned to two large equine guards, who wore leather armour over their appaloosa dappled hides, and they dragged a dirty, unkempt and obviously terrified young fox anthro up onto the stage. Releasing the slave, the two equines stepped back and the shackled and manacled Vulpine merely lay on the stage, whimpering in abject fright, his black tipped ears pasted flat and his long, bushy tail tucked firmly between his legs.

"What am I bid for this fine young Vulpine?" Called the Auctioneer, his grey-furred paw gesturing towards the kneeling and shackled young male fox that knelt beside him.

"Twenty dactarans..." A laughing voice from the surging throng that lined the marketplace rang out.

"Twenty dactarans" Echoed the wolf Auctioneer. "Surely mi'lord, you jest! twenty for this fine specimen? Twenty! Come now Lords and Ladies, surely you have but need of a slave such as this...he is a little the worse for wear, granted -"

"A little worse for wear? Look at that pathetic wretch, even fleas would not infest one such as him!" Shouted a human, as he looked at the cowering fox, then up at the auctioneer. "I can smell his stench from here! Where pray tell, did you find this pitiful wretch? Cowering in some gutter somewhere?"

"Hardly," replied the Auctioneer drily. "Come, see for yourself, for he is a fine specimen indeed - some bathing and grooming, I am sure he would come up well!"

Sellers hawked their wares, buyers haggled and livestock of all makes and species bleated, honked, squawked, flapped and generally added to the almost deafening cacophony. Fingering his staff with his hoof-paw, the stag paused, and then turned a disinterested eye towards the auction. He sized up the auctioneer with barely a blink, then sighed audibly and turned his attentions on the manacled young fox beside him. His breath caught in his furred throat, as his eyes widened and his heart skipped in his chest. With a startled gasp, he stared intently at the young Vulpine, who glanced back into the stag's deep, penetrating brown eyes, and then he dropped his gaze.

"Three hundred dactarans!" Spoke the stag softly, his voice barely a whisper, yet it brought with it an unmistakable aura of power.

"Sire..." Stammered the Auctioneer, as he loosened his cloak around his neck and stared down at the stag. "Mi'lord, begging your pardon, but this flea-bitten -"

"Four hundred -" Spoke the stag again, then produced a small leather pouch from beneath his robes and threw it onto the stage, at the wolf's foot paws.

"Mi'lord!" Moaned the wolf, as the crowd looked from the stag to the wolf and back again. "Mi'lord...this mangy cur is not worth even ten dactarans.... Look at him!"

Grabbing the young fox by his nape, the wolf dragged him upright and shook him roughly, setting the young fox to trembling, his ragged clothing and matted fur for all to see.

Gripping his staff tighter, the stag barely suppressed a shiver, as he looked over the malnourished and mangy fox.

"You have your price Slave master - take it and release him unto me." Spoke the stag quietly, his ears slowly folding back against his neck. "Take it and be gone."

Producing a large iron key, the wolf unclasped the chain that bound the fox to the stage, and two burly equines roughly dragged the terrified vulpine down off the stage, as the auctioneer bent down and retrieved the leather coin pouch.

Sniffing disdainfully, the stag raised an eyebrow at the two equines, which cruelly threw the young fox to the ground at the stag's feet.

"You would be mindful," Spoke the stag quietly, his voice chilling the two equines to their very souls, yet remaining calm. "To be more...careful. Now, be gone!"

Almost falling over themselves to get away, the two equines scrambled to get out of the Whitetail's presence. With a disgusted sigh, the buck looked down at the cowering young fox before him.

"Come with me." He spoke softly, then turned and began walking away.

Barely able to walk, the young fox obediently followed his new master, not daring to speak for fear of invoking his wrath. He had learned to keep his muzzle shut, as this stag was obviously one of the high-born, and would broke no insolence. Besides, things this time might just be different...maybe....

*

Pausing outside a well-appointed mansion in the upper class areas of the city, the stag merely nodded and the gates swung open, uttering a low groan of protest as their iron hinges grudgingly gave ground and the massive gates swung open. Without pausing, the buck made his way to the front doors, the overawed young fox trailing in his wake, never imagining to even see the likes of a place of this finery, let alone to live in one.

As the front door opened, the fox caught the glimpse of a beautiful Unicorn filly, her anthro body gowned in a silk dress, which clung to her and showed off her body to full extent. It was, quite an impressive sight to behold, and the young fox could not suppress a short, sharp gasp as he glanced at her. She smiled shyly at him; her deep blue eyes sparkling like twin pools of the clearest mountain springs. Her long, flowing mane and tail, both with long silvery/white colour at the tips, were immaculately brushed and groomed, and she carried herself with a class and stance that hinted at years of training.

"Good evening Katelyn," Spoke the stag politely. "I have wish for you to see to the bathing and grooming of my new acquisition please."

With a deep, flowing curtsy, the filly nodded her head and held out her hoof-paw to the overcome young fox. "Please come with me, and we'll get you cleaned up, as master Kalais has asked."

Still stunned and reeling, the young fox placed his trembling paw in the unicorn filly's hoof-paw, and she gave him a comforting squeeze, before leading him down the hall, and into the servant's quarters. Glancing back over his shoulder, the young fox watched as the stag unclasped his cloak and hung it on the peg beside the door, the headed off down another hallway.

*

Undressing himself, the young fox peeled off his ragged clothes and looked at the steaming tub. He had just finished pulling his well-worn tunic off, when he looked up to see the filly standing there, gazing at him. Realising he was completely naked, the young fox shrieked like a puppy and covered his lower parts with his tunic.

Her whinny of laughter ringing off the walls, the filly merely flicked her ears and rolled her eyes at the obviously ashamed and embarrassed young vulpine.

"You have no need of shame," Katelyn spoke softly, as he walked the short distance to his side, and paid her hoof-paws on his shoulders. "You have a beautiful body, why be ashamed of it?"

"No!" Squealed the fox, his ears flattening and tail frizzing in fright.

"Oh," Katelyn whispered, and then she hung her head in embarrassment, her inner ears reddening. "My apologies, I did not think how my appearance would...affect you. I shall leave you to your bathing. If you have need of anything, do not hesitate to call out."

Her hooves clopped across the marble floor, as she left the bathroom and the deeply embarrassed young fox to his bath. Indeed, the fox giggled nervously, and then slunk into the bath water like a rogue in the night. As the warm water covered him, he sighed in pleasure - for it had been many a long month since he had the coppers to afford such a simple luxury as this. Indeed, it looked as if fate had finally decided to deal this young fox a new hand. As he luxuriated in the warm comfort of the bath, he did not hear Katelyn's' return as she slipped into the room and placed new clothing on the marble bench, then glanced at her master's latest acquisition. A smile touched her equine muzzle, dimpling her furred cheeks as she slipped back out, as quietly as she had entered.

Sitting in a high backed chair, at the head of the large trestle table that adorned the mansions dining room, Kalais nibbled delicately on a fresh carrot, his long slender tongue running along the carrot, before he nipped the tip off it and chewed it thoughtfully. As Katelyn entered then deeply curtsied to him, Kalais placed the carrot back onto the table and waved a furred paw towards her.

"Speak Katelyn," Kalais spoke simply, his sibilant voice carrying easily to her ears.

"Master, your new acquisition is being bathed as you requested. Do you wish to see him once he is dressed - or..." Katelyn inquired, as she clasped her hoof-paws behind her back and kept her eyes lowered in the presence of her master.

Kalais picked up the carrot again, and then ran his own claw tips slowly along the length of the carrot, his claws clicking over the ridges one by one as he pondered.

"Give me your honest opinion, my loyal servant." Kalais asked, as an eyebrow rose slightly and his ears slicked back. "I respect your opinion, and would hear your thoughts."

"Master," Katelyn began, then stammered and cleared her throat, her ears flat against the back of her head as she stared down at the inlaid marble floor. "It is not up to me, to offer judgement on your choices."

Kalais chuckled quietly, then rose to his hooves and slowly made his way down the table towards where the young equine filly stood nervously, her bosom rising and falling with her breathing - nostrils flaring and body quivering. Kalais stopped as he stood before her, then reached out and cupped her chin in his paw and lifted it up until she stared him in the eyes.

"Katelyn, you have served me well for many years, and your servitude will not be forgotten. Here, we are alone, and I give you permission to speak freely." Kalais told her, as he tenderly stroked her furred cheek.

"Master - I, I mean - " Katelyn croaked, then cleared her throat again. "I think he is a fine acquisition, and will serve you well, but I am a little shy about him. He does not bear himself as one of my status should - he lacks the grace, charm and appearance of one who would go willingly to his masters bed, to please them in whatever way his master desired."

Kalais stroked Katelyn's' cheek again, then leaned forwards and tenderly pressed his furred lips to her velvety nose and kissed it. Just this gentle touch, sent a shiver up Katelyn's' spine - that she was helpless to resist, even though she knew his preferences lay not with a female.

"So," Kalais responded, as he turned away and lifted a silver pitcher and poured two small bowls of a strong red wine, then passed one to her. "You think he will not live up to my hopes, in the bed chamber?"

Accepting the wine, Katelyn whuffled through her nose, a typical response from her when faced with an exasperating question. "Master - he...I do not know. He shows signs of having been poorly treated, most likely from his previous master -"

Kalais raised an eyebrow, as he stared at Katelyn and sipped his wine.

"Not that I would dare insinuate that you are less than kind, my master!" Katelyn squealed, her eyes widening and showing the whites. "You - you took me in as barely a yearling filly, gave me this wonderful place to live and asked for so little in return."

Kalais smiled, and then caressed her cheek again. "Yet a filly you remain, my lovely young servant. Have you never longed for the touch of a male in the darkness, the warmth that comes from another body intertwined with your own in the throes of love making?"

With a sad snuffle, Katelyn bowed her head and twisted away, kneading her paws before her as she hung her head and nodded sadly. "I - master, long have I served you, and you know as I do, of my longing for you. I know also, that I will never feel that of which you speak, with me."

"You are lovely my dear filly," Kalais admitted, as he caressed her shoulders and moved in close behind her. "Truly lovely and alluring. I know of your secret desires, and mayhap's, I will one day grant you this wish of yours."

Katelyn's' eyes widened in disbelief, as Kalais gently groomed a paw through her long silvery tail, then placed both paws on her hips and pressed himself against her rump.

"Yes, my young filly - " Kalais whispered into her back-swept ears. "You have remained honest all these years, and for your sacrifice, I will grant you your wish. Now, go and have my new friend brought her before me. I wish to see him in more...detail."

Katelyn turned back around, and then once again curtsied deeply, her paws brushing her long, flowing skirt.

"I will fetch him at once master." Katelyn replied, as she turned and left the dining room.

Kalais smiled to himself, then picked up another carrot from a plate and looked at it as he stroked his paw over it thoughtfully, before running his long, slender tongue from the tip to the base and back again. With surprising ease, he slid the carrot almost the whole way into his muzzle and throat, then as he pressed downwards with his furred lips and began slowly withdrawing it, his furred cheeks hollowed out. Almost imperceptibly, the carrot was revealed, coated with a fine sheen of Kalais saliva. Smiling to himself, he did this twice more, before he moaned in pleasure at the thoughts for this young fox, and then began enthusiastically chewing on the carrot as the thoughts of that night pleasures began to formulate in his head.

Indeed, it promised to be a pleasurable night.

To Be Continued.