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The Consort By: Pent Ghelsburg

Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are portrayed as underage and are purely fictional. Any resemblance to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect. Any resemblance to real-life persons is purely coincidental. Furthermore, there is a minor sexual theme presented in this story. You have been warned.

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose

by any other name would smell as sweet."

-William Shakespeare

The walls often tell tales when they are not silent, of fine tapestries that were draped before them for an era long forgotten into the annals of history. The only stories that remain to be told are those held by the high house and changed for their benefit. Of course, history is not always so simple and such things must be examined like any account. But we are not so fortunate to have all these sagas for finding all of them would be nothing short of foolhardy. And yet we look forever yonder, seeking greater narratives then we remember only to fall prey to their ever promising fantasy...

Over the hills and far away lies the castle of Evermore. Ardent banners of bright canary and white flow carelessly with the wind. Not many clouds remain in the sky, for their sorrowful refrain would surely show themselves on another day. The castle among plains of grassy greens, whose blades flow back and forth along with the breeze. A voice can be heard if you listen hard enough. It's cadence carried along with surprising longevity. So much so those wayward travelers looked upon its walls to spot naught but a figure atop its walls.

It is the early morning and a boy looks into the wild blue yonder. He is wearing his typical white gown reserved for slumber. The child gazes seeming lost despite being very much at home. Such is often the way of things for Royalty in youth. You see the youth was on the precipice of adolescence and had not experienced much in the niceties of companionship. He had very much lived the life of a hermit, though not by his own choice but rather at the behest of his parents. They always spoke of the horrors of the common folk and all of the fouls they brought this world.

The furry boy stretched and yawned as he was still tired despite being up for a little over an hour. He was often pretty lazy and sometimes didn't get out of bed until he was forced to. But since today was a special day, he made sure to remind his servant to awaken him this morning as he surely didn't want to miss anything that might be going on. Looking around though he didn't find any preparations being made and reassured himself that it was just something being hidden from him, for it was almost his name day.

It was the evening of his 13th summer and the teen knew his parents would likely have some event planned. But he wasn't much of a morning person. He stopped singing and allowed his head to slump down as he headed back into his chambers. The door back from the on top of the ramparts. As per normal his aid held the door back inside open. He took a deep breath before heading back into the interior of his room.

"Shall I remove your gown, your grace?" The man holding the door spoke.

The young boy didn't feel like being waited on today and hoisted it off his frame and handed it to his butler who simply nodded and remained at the door to close it behind them. The teen now stood in front of a full-sized mirror which was far larger than he was. His reflection looked back at him. His grey and black fur were unkempt as it had not been brushed yet. His three tails were relaxed on the floor and relaxed behind him with a set of wings doing the same. He came from a proud family of kitsune-dragon hybrids

He stroked the black hair on top of his head, causing it to bounce back upward as he had bedhead.

He looked back at his aid. "What should I wear today, Chandler?"

"Well Prince Rikku, you're almost the age of reason. You should reflect as such." The man bowed deeply to show respect.

The kitsune puffed out his chest proudly. "Very well, Chandler. It shall be done."

The aid, who was a dove, headed over to the large set of drawers where the teen's clothing was stored. He rifled a few sets of clothing before finding a purple robe with gold accents. Chandler felt this would suit the young man and took it out before offering it to the teen.

"Thank you, Chandler." The fox-dragon took hold of the outfit and rolled it out against his hands so he could examine its features.

The butler got behind the teen and took the shirt before draping it over him. It was slightly large and sagged a bit but fit him nonetheless. Chandler then helped him step into the pants. It was a rather simple outfit, not meant to take a tremendous amount of time to put on.

Once he was done, Rikku looked at himself in the mirror and showed off a bit. He was pretty scrawny but had been growing more into his figure over the last year. Often he liked to pretend he had more musculature than he did. After he did a few poses he made his way to the door that lead into the core of the castle. Chandler had rushed to open the door for him and awaited his exit. The kitsune wasn't sure what he wanted to do but anything was better than being shut up in his room all day.

The inside of the castle was always depressing for him. There wasn't much lighting, even during the prime time of the day and very little fresh air wafted through the corridors and hallways of each nook and cranny of the bulwarks of the fortress. His room was situated behind the ballroom, which was where all of the family's events were held. He assumed he would find his parents there and hoped for some guidance for the day as he wandered around without direction.

Rikku looked behind him and saw that he was alone. It wasn't something he was used to but had been trying to go around the castle by himself. He saw himself of age despite being a year short of what traditionally would be considered a milestone towards adulthood. But the kitsune knew very little of the outside world. He was very much sheltered and kept from learning what his parents considered to be the evils of everyday life. The teen sometimes wondered what it was like outside the castle walls but seldom dwelled on the issue.

The boy made his way through the halls figuring it might be time to take his daily bath. The was room was a collective one on the opposite side of the castle. It was one of the only places where he got to see people beyond the immediate friends of the royal friends. The place was heavily guarded so that the so-called riff-raff didn't wander into it. Rikku slowly made his way across the wide hallways. He was passed by some people he had seen before but didn't pay them any attention since he wasn't very sociable.

It took him some time to make his way from one end of the castle to the other but eventually, he found his way to the communal washroom. One of the canine guards manning the room looked him over and neither of the two at the station made any attempt to stop him. Rikku made his way in and stopped on the wall near the entrance to strip himself of his robes. A hawk was awaiting him and took his garments once they had been shed from his form.

The teen was down to his underwear and looked around the room. It was filled with steam and quite balmy from the rising heat of the warm water. The water was artificially warmed by mixing hot coals. It was a painstaking task that was taken on by the servants at the location. Rikku made out a few people there, all of which who were male since this was the men's quarters for resting. It was quite early so there weren't many of them around but there were a few people here and there.

Most of them of the canine variety but one figure, in particular, caught his eye. Rikku rubbed his eyes as he made out the faint depiction of what he thought to be an avian species in the water. This was strange since the avian folk had long been ostracized in the region. He knew them to have been conquered by the Dog Kingdom long ago and to be vassals to his parents. Yet there was a long tail sprawled out in a relaxed fashion behind the unknown figure.

The kitsune felt intrigued as this defied any logic he had been taught as a kit. He was a little bit nervous as he had heard some pretty bad things about the wyrm folk. However, this one seemed small, perhaps just as frail as he was. As he approached the figure, he felt a bit nervous. It wasn't normally like him to go up to strangers. But he was feeling more and more lonely lately and this one didn't seem as imposing as the ones he usually encountered.

Once Rikku was close enough to make out the features of the body, he looked it over. The critter had white fur with what looked to be tribal red markings that spiraled around its hands and parts of its legs. Perhaps the most defining features of the being were its horns which stuck directly back along the grain of its fur. Slowly the kitsune eased off his underwear and sat far away enough that he didn't disturb the other fur.

The other person didn't seem to be much bigger than he was. In fact, to Rikku's eyes, it seemed to be around the same age as he was. The kitsune was careful not to disturb the other. However, he was finding it hard to get used to the warm water of the spa. The teen's body fidgeted a bit and caused the water to cascade away from where he was and ripple towards the resting avian boy. Of course, the other wasn't asleep and soon its eyes fluttered open. It's green eyes reflected the dim light of the room and were quite striking.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." Rikku rubbed his head nervously.

The other shrugged. "It's alright. I wasn't asleep. I was just relaxing"

"My apologies anyway. Where are you from?" The

kitsune finally allowed himself to glide into the water so that it was almost up to his shoulders.

The griffin hummed and then relaxed back against the stone side of the pool. "The Aery. I am here with my mother's consort who looks to improve our relations with your land."

"The Aery? Really? That's so far away. That must have been a long journey." Rikku's mind wandered a bit and began to consider what the place might be like.

The avian boy shrugged. "I suppose. The time flew by pretty fast so I didn't keep track. What's your name? Mine is Etis."

"I am Rikku, Prince of Evermore." The kitsune proudly puffed out his chest as he announced his lineage.

The griffin leaned forward. "Really? You're a member of the Royal family of this realm?"

"Indeed. You don't seem so bad. Nothing like the stories I was told as a pup." Rikku inched ever closer to the other boy to get a closer look at him.

The other boy smelt rather rank. He hadn't bathed much and yet Rikku found himself not bothered by the scent. It was somewhat sweet. Etis had worked up quite the sweat from his long journey. The griffin seemed rather tired and relaxed in his current conditions. Despite how close the kitsune was, Etis wasn't making much of an effort to deter him. Though the avian teen was looking at him awkwardly not expecting this time of behavior from another, let alone a member of the royal family.

Rikku's cold nose found itself nestled into the left side of Etis' chest.

The griffin hesitated a bit and pushed him away. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, sorry. You smell nice." The kitsune blushed profusely at his actions.

Etis' mouth dropped agape. "Nice? I've been walking for almost a week. I probably smell terrible."

"Nah, you don't smell that bad. I think you smell good." Rikku reached out and poked the other boy on the nose

The avian shrugged and tried to relax again. "You're a strange one. Do as you like, I suppose."

"Would you like me to help you bathe?" The kitsune was feeling rather strange around the other boy and couldn't quite rationalize why.

Etis cocked his head awkwardly back towards the other teen. "What? Is this how you normally act?"

"Erm...well no. I just thought it would be a nice gesture." Rikku found himself wanting to get closer to the other boy.

The griffin shrugged. "I suppose that would be fine. Have at it then."

Rikku reached over to the side of the bath where there was a small tray with a bar of soap on top of it. He extended it into the water and lathered up his hands a bit before guiding it over to his new friend. He began rubbing it over the other teen's fur and worked it against the grain of the avian's skin. The griffins white fur extended and retracted against his touch.

"That feels nice." Etis relaxed even more as the other boy's touch felt rather therapeutic.

The kitsune smiled and nudged the other teen so that he would lift his back for easier access. There wasn't much form to the boy's body. Like himself, Etis seemed bereft of much mass. His body was mostly flat except for the usual bodily curves and contours. There wasn't much fat on the teen either and where there was muscle, was rather firm. Rikku found that he was somewhat more defined than himself. Though exploring the other boy's body and finding himself lacking didn't bother him but instead left him more wanting.

Soon Rikku turned his attention to the front of the boy, spending more time on his stomach than any other part of the body but still avoiding going below the belt. Eventually, the kitsune finished his wayward attention and seemed rather pleased with himself. The smaller boy wondered if the other would return the favor but wasn't too hopeful. He dropped the soap into the water allowing it to float on the surface. They remained silent for a few moments as nothing could be heard except for some new coals being dropped into the water.

Etis stretched and yawned. "Thanks for the help. I must return to my consort now. Perhaps we shall see each other again before I return home?"

"That sounds good. I hope to see you again. Will you come back tomorrow?" Rikku watched as the other teen got out of the water averting his gaze a bit to be respectful.

The griffin nodded. "Sure. That sounds like a plan. If I have free time, perhaps we can do something after."

"Alright, I will see you then." The kitsune turned around and began cleaning himself as he had not yet extended the privilege to himself.

By the time he had finished, Etis was long gone. Rikku was glad that he had come to the bathhouse now as it was evident that he had made a friend. This was the first time in his young life that he had felt like he had companionship outside of his parents. Once he was out, one of the attendants gave him a towel to drive with, and then he was provided with his clothing to redress himself. He felt refreshed and decided it was time to return to his normal daily duties as a prince. This meant that it was time to report to his parents for whatever task they had in mind.

The kitsune made his way back to the ballroom, figuring that's where his parents might be. Normally that's where they were when they had guests. Rikku assumed that because the avian consort was around, that his parents must be having some sort of welcome for the entourage. The ballroom was back towards the center of the castle. It was the largest room in the entire building and the only one with no formal door. Instead, the entry and exit were completely open. The idea was for it to be a communal gathering place for all of the castle's residents.

Once the teen arrived in the ballroom, he found that he was correct. His parents were sitting at a large table that had been moved to the side of the room. On one side were his parents and the other were some griffins who seemed to look quite similar to the boy he had just met. Coincidentally enough he found Etis standing behind them. The other teen did not attempt to wave to him and seemed intent on maintaining whatever level of cordialness the event required.

Etis was now wearing a formal robe, much like himself. It was a light blue robe with yellow accents, matching the house colors of his family. In his hand, he held a banner with the sigil of his coat of arms embroidered in the center. Rikku couldn't help but smile but the griffin did not attempt returning the gesture. The kitsune wondered why that was the case. Looking over at his parents it seemed the group was caught up in some discussion which he had missed part of from showing up late.

"We cannot honor the terms of this treaty. It is not beneficial to our people." The canine emperor stood proud and folded his arms defiantly.

A female griffin directly across from him pulled the paper close to her and looked over it. "There is nothing here that directly impacts your people. This is merely to free our people from the chains in which you have shackled them for so long."

"We shackled them? Your people entered into armed aggression against our republic in the last Great War." The man gripped his paw is if angered by the other's words.

The woman reached into her pocket and pulled out a large white cloth and placed it on the table. "And we have paid tribute according to the peace agreement. The term has expired. Now keep your part of the bargain."

"Fine, I will not deter from my father's whims even if they were from an era long gone. In exchange, your nation must continue to trade. We will consider this substitute for tribute. Do we have terms?" The large fox extended his paw over the table and extended out his paw in agreement.

The dragon extended out her claw and shook his hand. "We have terms. I assure you, you will not regret it. Our two nations economies shall surely benefit and peace shall prosper."

"We shall see. Time will tell. Still, I will honor the agreement and we will consider your species equal. Though I surmise that it will take time for the people to get used to it." The red fox scratched his head and thought about it for a moment.

The dragon nodded and stood up, releasing her grip from the handshake. She was much taller than the man was. The wings rested on it's back along with its bronze scales. Etis smiled as his mistress had achieved her means. The dragon and fox left the room leaving the other two to their own devices. Rikku wasted no time in approaching the griffin, who he assumed to still be his friend.

"What was that about?" The kitsune's shoulders dropped a bit showing he was disappointed in the other.

Etis shook his head. "My court duties take precedent. I cannot let down my lady. She has been my guardian as long as I know."

"Yeah? Well, there's no harm in being friendly in public." Rikku put his hands to his side and angled them so that his elbows pointed outward.

The griffin rolled his eyes. "Are you that naive? You are of the canine clan and I am of the avian clan. We could never be friends."

"But what about what happened in the bath?" The smaller teens face frowned in disappointment.

Etis shrugged. "What of it? What's done is done. Our consort will be gone tomorrow. After that, you will not see me again. Do not dwell on it."

"But...I wanted to be friends. I don't care if you're an avian." The kitsune flashed his tails behind him as if expecting them to help him in convincing the other.

The avian hesitated a minute before answering. "I suppose but realize this must remain in secret. If someone finds out...we will get in trouble."

"Fine. We can keep it a secret. Besides, I guess your right. My parents probably wouldn't like it either." Rikku moved closer to Etis but the other teen kept his distance.

Etis placed his hand out. "Later. I have duties to attend to and I am sure you do as well. You would do well to remember your place, Prince boy."

The griffin made his exit from the ballroom, heading in the same direction in which the other

boy's father and the dragon had left. Rikku was left dumbfounded and felt a little immature. The other teen was fixated on his duty. The kitsune hadn't thought about his duties for the day. The teen thought about it for a second. His father had told him to work on his diplomacy skills. What better way than to test them out on his new friend, he thought to himself.

But Rikku knew he would need to get on Etis' good side. He could tell the griffin didn't trust him and wondered what he could do to prove himself. The kitsune began to ponder the possibilities. After a while of thinking he came up with a possible way and that might show that he was a man of action as the other teen was. The solution he surmised was to free his servants or give them the choice to become paid labor.

The kitsune made his way back to his room, where Chandler was still busy cleaning up. Immediately Rikku felt guilty that he hadn't tidied up his room and rushed over to help make the bed. It was almost done and the dove looked over him with an awry look. It wasn't like the boy to offer assistance let alone step in without being asked.

"Are you feeling alright, sir?" The bird scratched his head in confusion.

Rikku nodded and continued to pull the sheets up. "Yeah, I just wanna be helpful."

"Very well. This task is done but you can help water the garden if you like." The dove pointed to a water canteen placed by the window.

The kitsune didn't waste a single second and grabbed it. "You got it! You're doing a great job. Thanks a lot. Here's some money for your service."

"A sovereign? Are you certain, your highness?" The look of shock on Chandler's face was priceless.

The teen nodded. "Oh yes, I'm almost certain. You work very hard. You deserve it."

"Well thank you. This is most unexpected." The dove bowed deeply.

Rikku reached down and guided his aid up. "That won't be necessary. You may take the rest of the day off."

"You are most kind. Thank you, sir! I will make the most of it." The bird made his way out of the room leaving the teen to himself.

Rikku felt proud of himself but wasn't sure what to do now. After thinking about it a second, he figured he would spread the wealth a bit. He wondered what his parents would think if he let some of the other aids off for the day. After a bit of thought, he figured it would be best to leave most of them be. He's letting his aid off wouldn't arise any suspicion. So instead he decided to go help some of them with their duties.

So the teen went over to his wardrobe and changed into something more casual. He knew that he'd never hear the end of it if he got his royal regalia dirty. However, he didn't exactly have commoner's clothing and decided he needed something he could get dirty in. Rikku popped his head out of his room looking for one of the servants to have them fetch something more simple. Eventually, one past by and the teen goaded her to the side.

The woman was caught off guard but was in no position to ignore his call to her. Like all servants of the place, she was an avian breed, a pigeon to be sure.

"My lady, I am sorry to bother you. I was wondering if I could ask you to get me some commoners clothing? I will reward you handsomely for this favor." Rikku reached into his pocket and pulled out some money before handing it to her.

The bird bowed. "Yes, my lord. Of course, I can. I shall return promptly."

She disappeared a moment later and with that Rikku was left mostly alone again. He headed back into his room and began to ponder what he could do to help everyone around the castle. He figured that the garden was as good enough place as any to start.

It was a while before she returned with a bundle of clothes in her hands for him. She knocked on the door and was permitted inside. Rikku examined it. The cloth was bereft of colors and didn't seem to be very colorful, at least compared to what he was used to. She attempted to hand him back his change and the kitsune simply closed her hand. Her grin gently widened as she began to understand that he was being genuine.

Eventually, she left the room and he was alone again. He wasted no time in changing out of his robes and placed them on his bed. The kitsune unfolded the clothing and took a look at it. It was a bland brown color made of wool. He put it on and walked over to the full-body mirror to look at himself. He looked vastly different than he normally did in his usual getup. It was a bit itchy but he decided that he would have to deal with it for the day.

He began to wonder what people might think of him now. Would they even recognize him? It was something he was wondering Rikku didn't dwell on it for long The kitsune made his way outside of his room. Immediately the guards looked at him. It was evident that he was of the canine clan but his getup didn't beget one that belonged in the castle. The guards did not approach as the person looked strangely similar to the prince and left him be for fear of retribution.

Rikku continued on his way down the halls. Many of its residents looked him down with a wary look. Sure he was recognized, but the fact that he was in commoners clothes was a sight to behold nonetheless. Eventually, he found his way to the garden. Breaking out from the castle made him squint a bit. His eyes had to adjust to the outside light. But he was able to make do before long and soon was enjoying the fresh air of the outdoors.

The garden was huge, the biggest open area within the confines of the castle itself. It was tended to all sorts of hands and the pride and joy of the woman of the house. The smell of flowers and foliage was a pleasure to the teen's senses as he made his way into the center of it. One of the tenders to the garden approached him.

"Prince Rikku, Is that you?" A large crane stood before the boy.

The teen nodded. "It is. I have taken a renewed interest in the garden and want to help."

"Oh? Well, that's wonderful. We could certainly use the help. Why not start with watering the tulips?" The avian pointed over to their location where a water canteen and bucket had already been stationed at the ready.

Rikku made his way to the tulip garden and began watering. It didn't take him long to work up a sweat.

Being outside was different for him. Normally he was stuck inside where he was shielded from the sun. Now he was very much directly underneath it. It didn't take long before he worked up a sweat. Before long Etis and his consort made their way through the garden. The dragon remained at the forefront with the griffin remaining close behind. Once they stopped the avian boy's gaze turned to the garden. He admired its lush plants and its tall trees.

Eventually his eyes past over the canine who was bent over in the far corner. It was a weird sight to behold and the griffin rubbed his eyes to be sure what he was seeing was real. Sure enough, there was a canine in the distance. It was one that seemed somewhat familiar. As the consort neared its location, the griffin teen couldn't help but peer over. It seemed it was Rikku, which was surprising, to say the least.

Etis didn't say a word and the entourage continued on his way. But the image of the sullied Prince would weigh on his mind the rest of the day. Rikku continued his work and even learned how to prune flowers. A skill he'd never thought he'd ever have to make use of. By the end of his task, he was quite sweaty and dirty. The crane reapproached him and relieved him of his duties. The sun was beginning to set and that meant that the workers in the garden could retire.

"Thank you for your help today, Prince Rikku. Feel free to stop by anytime. The garden could always use some more attention." The bird touched his shoulder respectfully.

The teen nodded. "No problem. I will return. It wasn't as bad as I expected."

The bird exited towards the servants quarters leaving Rikku to his own devices. The prince looked over the garden once more and felt proud of his work. He wiped the sweat from his brow and made his way back in. It was time to return to the bathhouse. He felt incredibly dirty and knew that he needed to clean up. Besides he hoped that Etis would meet him there, as he had promised earlier. He knew they hadn't established a time but figured it would be worth a shot.

Rikku walked down the corridor, still wearing his commoner's clothing. When he arrived at the doors to the bathhouse, the guards looked him over. They were the same ones from earlier and they didn't recognize him because of his clothing and dirty demeanor.

"What are you doing inside the castle?" The guards blockaded the entrance.

Rikku stood aloof for a moment in shock. "It is I, Prince Rikku."

"You can't be the prince..." One of the guards approached him and looked him over more closely.

Little did Rikku know that Etis was nearby and listening to the conversation. Soon he stepped in and took manners into his hand.

The griffin placed his hand on the kitsunes shoulder. "He's with me."

"Very well. You are granted entrance then. But don't try that again..." The guard was still convinced the teen was not the Prince.

Rikku smiled at Etis as the two walked into the bathhouse. They headed over into the male half of the corridor. There were a few people inside but most of them were way too relaxed to pay any attention to either of the arrivals. An attendant stepped over to help the griffin but did not attempt to show the same service to the Prince. It was an oddity for him to be sure but he didn't complain about it. Instead, he stepped out of his clothes and placed them in a pile in the corner.

Etis motioned towards Rikku who understood his intent and the two walked over towards the water together. The kitsune gestured his hand forward and allowed his new friend to go first. Soon after he joined him in the water. It took a moment to get used to the water.

The smaller teen was sore from the manual labor all day. It certainly wasn't something he was used to. Little did he know that Etis had seen him do some of his work and was rather impressed with the assumed change in character.

The griffin reached his arm over Rikku and pulled him in to be closer to him. The kitsune was caught off guard but wasn't about to protest the advance. Etis took hold of a nearby bar of soap and began to lather it up in his hands. Before long he began rubbing it into Rikku's body. The kitsune easing up against the other teen's touch. It was like nothing he had experienced before and it felt amazing to have someone else touch him.

Eventually, Etis began to massage the suds into the other teen's muscles. Rikku felt rather relaxed and pushed his shoulder right against the larger boys. The griffin smiled a bit and continued to help his friend clean up. Soon Etis stopped his attention and the kitsune felt it was his duty to return the favor. Etis had let go of the soap and Rikku had picked it up from where it was floating in the water. By this point, the water was full of suds and some new coals were being dropped in to keep it from getting too cold.

Rikku didn't take long to adjust himself so that he was facing towards the other teen. Etis rotated himself around so that his friend had easier access to his back. The kitsune followed along the ridges of his back and began to lather around in circles. The prince was much more methodical about cleaning than the other had been. He leaned in and smelt the other teen once again. This time the aroma seemed stronger than he remembered.

Rikku pressed his wet nose against Etis' back. The griffin fidgeted a bit but did not attempt to pull away. The kitsune was no longer bothering to clean his friend, instead of focusing on his newfound fixation with the boy's musk. Soon the kitsune pushed himself behind the other boy and Rikku eventually wrapped his hands around the other and the two shared a rather awkward hug. Etis wasn't sure what to think of it but warmed up to the idea gradually and eased back into the smaller boy's attention.

Some wayward eyes were attracted to their show of public affection. Though neither of them noticed since both had closed their eyes. Etis cooed gently and allowed his head to arch backward fully placing his trust in Rikku. The kitsune was caught off guard and had to stop what he was doing for a moment to readjust. The smaller guided himself so that his legs were placed around the larger male. Etis' weight almost entirely rested on him now and he was struggling a bit.

The kitsune fidgeted and continued to try to deal with the stress of the other boy's body on top of him. Rikku pushed forward as much as he could eventually affording himself enough of space to slip out. Etis' body slumped back against the rocky edges of the bath. This caused a little bit of discomfort and the griffin groaned lowly.

"Sorry..." Rikku watched as the bigger teen leaned forward and rubbed his back.

Etis smiled to show it didn't bother him that much. "It's alright. I guess I got a little overly relaxed."

The kitsune reached over and tried to help his friend by rubbing his back to ease the pain a bit. Rikku was glad he seemed to be helping. Eventually, the avian boy straightened up his posture and showed his state had improved. Soon the smaller boy extended his reach forward and guided his hand over Etis' thigh. His hand remained there for a few seconds and rested there quite awkwardly. The griffins glided his hand over it and squeezed the other boys hand slightly to show his approval.

His grip wasn't overly tight and certainly not enough to restrain Rikku's movement. The kitsune easily slid his hand out from underneath. He pushed his hand forward and gradually found his way to the teen's furry pelvis. Etis twitched a bit since he was so close to his nether regions. That slight bit of movement was enough to push the boy's finger near an opening. This part of the anatomy was something he was unprepared for.

Still, he explored ever onward and pushed his finger around the opening and even rubbed it a bit. It wasn't long before Etis felt himself getting worked up. His cock steadily rising and pushing out of the opening. Soon the tip of his penis pushed into the other's touch. Rikku's face lights up with a bright blush, realizing what had just happened. It continued to flesh outward and the kitsune rubbed around the cloacal opening with interest. Soon Etis was a full mast and his breathing had picked up more rapidly than normal.

But instead of pulling back, the kitsune found himself intrigued and flicked out his index finger so that it lightly touched against the tip of the griffin's flesh. Etis readjusted himself a bit as he was feeling himself start to get worked up despite there not being much contact between the two digits. Rikku smirked a bit, finding himself to be getting more into it than he might have thought otherwise. He continued to edge his touch forward and eventually, his palm rested entirely over the griffin's bulge.

Now, both boys were wearing underwear so there wasn't much to see down there. Rikku could feel the teen's bulge stirring under his touch. This only served to spur the kitsune on further. He firmed up his grip and allowed it to cup around the griffin's flesh. Etis arched his back a bit and bucked ever so slightly into the other boy's touch. By this point, the avian's blush was much more obvious and Rikku could tell he was getting into it as well.

The kitsune continued to explore Etis' balls and shaft. Slowly but surely the griffin's mast was steadily rising and the fabric of his underwear was lifting along with it. Rikku picked up his hand and gently began dancing around his forefinger between the edges of Etis' shaft. The griffin covered his mouth to muffle a groan so that they wouldn't be discovered. Soon the kitsune wrapped his hand around the flesh and gripped it motionlessly.

Etis' edged forward ever so slightly, continuing to drive himself into Rikku's touch. This only compelled the kitsune to carry onward. Rikku threading his hand so that he could piston it ever so slightly against the griffin's crotch. The larger teen closed his eyes and just enjoyed what was happening. His mind was whirling in ecstasy. This was like nothing he had experienced before and far better than any self-indulgence he had engaged in the past.

The avian was already fully erect by this point. So much so that it was beginning to ache. His member was pulsating and throbbing into Rikku's touch. The smaller boy continued to masturbate the other, ever-increasing his hold and intensity which each passing second. He wasn't about to stop either. He was rather intent on making his new friend finish. His hand now entirely wrapped over the bigger teens shaft, pumping it back and forth.

It wasn't long before his cock spasmed and twitched. He exploded against the ever-diligent touch of the other teen. Had it not been for the warmth of the water, it might have been more obvious. Rikku looked at Etis' face which had a stupefied look upon it. He understood all too well what this meant. It seemed his wayward attention had accomplished his task. Slowly he removed his grasp and the smirk on his face widened with satisfaction.

It took a moment for Etis to recover. His whole body was shaken by the sudden euphoria he had experienced. Sure he had orgasmed before but this was far more intense than anything he had dealt with before. Rikku continued to look on with a huge smile on his face. He lifted his hand and brought it back to rub behind the griffins back to relax him. Once he had finally recovered, the griffin pulled himself away and exited the bath without a word.

Rikku immediately felt regret and disappointment. He assumed he had gone too far and now the griffin wanted nothing to do with him. The kitsune continued to watch on as Etis grabbed his clothing and changed into them without looking back. The avian soon exited from the room, leaving the other teen to himself. The smaller boy sighed and finished cleaning himself. It seemed as if he was going to have to make it up to his new friend.

Soon he was approached by an attendant. He was much more recognizable now and they provided him a towel once he exited from the bath. Rikku's mind was deep in thought and he was rather distracted until a nearby bird lightly nudged him. The aid was baffled by the fact he had not seen the prince enter earlier. When the same bird when looking for the royal's clothing he found nothing and was even more confused.

The avian handed the prince a towel before eventually settling on a bathrobe. They always had them just laying around next to the towels for those who didn't want to change back into what they came in with.

"Thanks." The kitsune smiled warmly up at the assistant who was much taller than he was.

The teen changed into the bathrobe and made his exit from the washroom and back through the hallways of the castle. Rikku began to ponder ways to apologize. He wondered if doing more services with his aids would do the trick. Instead, he figured a much more direct approach would have to do.

About halfway to his room, he was approached by his mother. Like himself, the woman was a kitsune. Her coat much lighter in tone and her tails far more numerous. She was a strong woman and was considered much more cheery than her husband. Rikku looked up and saw that her face had a disappointed look. It wasn't like her to carry such a frown for she was known to be the light of the castle. Yet here she was with some unknown weight upon her mind.

"What's wrong, mother?" Rikku placed his hands on her shoulder in hopes of easing her tension.

The white-furred woman scowled at him. "You're father is being difficult as usual. He has been droning on all day

about the avian consort. He seems to think they will betray him.'

"I see. Well, perhaps I can help. I met the youngest member of the group and he seemed to be nice." The

the boy hesitated before mentioning the last part of the statement.

She looked down at him with a look of disbelief. "You've been convening with the enemy? For what purpose?"

"I didn't see a problem with it since it seemed father was trying to improve relations with the avian folk." The teen folded his arms defensively.

The woman shook her head at him. "I see. Well, you shouldn't be hanging around with them. They might be trying to gain information from you."

"I don't think so. He didn't seem to be that bad. There was no discussion about anything secret. Besides, it's not like there's much that I know about those things anyway." Rikku relaxed his stance a bit to show he was being serious.

His mother rolled his eyes at him. "Rikku, I forbid you to see the boy again. You know full well it's against the rules to associate yourself with them. They are less..."

"What if I could persuade them to abide by the agreement?" The younger kitsune interrupted in an attempt to get his way.

She slapped him. "Do not interrupt me, boy. Do not see him again. Get to your tasks. You've done none of them. I heard you were even helping in the garden. While this is fine you cannot let it take you from your normal duties."

"Yes, ma'am. It shall be done." Rikku looked down ashamed that he had forgotten about his normal daily duties.

Without another word, she walked away from him. He knew better than to disobey his mother. Even know she was normally cheery, there were often times when she was quite stern. It seemed she was just as indignant to the avians as his father was. Rikku felt sad that he knew he couldn't see Etis again. But a thought lingered, what if he could persuade the consort to obey the agreement? It was worth a shot and certainly a way to get to see his friend again.

However, he decided to defer the issue. He had court to attend to. He was expected to assist the magistrate as it was seen as a way to learn the laws of the land first hand. After all, he was being groomed to be a leader in his future, even if it wasn't something he was crazy about. Still, it was something he was responsible for. So he made his way back to his room to change into his court robes. He looked back behind him and saw his mother eying him but she soon returned her attention forward when she noticed his returned gaze.

Rikku thought nothing more of it and rushed back into his room. He always kept his magistrates gown in the top drawer of his wardrobe chest. He located it and swiftly changed into it. The kitsune had lost track of time and didn't want to be late. After he dressed he made his to the courtroom which is where trials were held. The boy's father had deferred the duties to a legal clerk to be more efficient both with making new laws as well as enforcing the ones that were already made.

The kitsune arrived in the courtroom. Everyone was already sitting down and eyed him warily when he arrived in the open room itself. Rikku blushed as the warden shook his head at him. It wasn't the first time he had been late and it had become a trend as of late. The warden had yet to report this to the boy's parents but sooner or later, the grievances would have to be made known. The prince bowed to the magistrate and was waved to the side where he would watch today's proceedings.

"Today's case is against the avian court of the Aery. They have been found in direct conflict with the laws of this land." The wolf at the head of the court spoke up loudly so that everyone could hear his decree.

Rikku looked up once he heard the familiar name of the land he had recently learned about. Sure enough, upon closer examination, he saw the Etis sitting side by side with his mistress. The dragon seemed none too happy and was even puffing smoke through her nostrils. It seemed she was quite annoyed by the situation. From her perspective, she had done nothing wrong. Etis especially didn't understand what was going on but remained silent at her behest.

"Janice Ugandice, the charges against you are flying over a restricted area. How do you plea?" The grey wolf held up his gavel as she read off the charges.

The dragon stood up slamming her fist on the table in front of her. "I plea innocent. This is a horrible way to treat a foreign dignitary."

"Order in the court or I will hold you in contempt and you will be taken away without a trial." The magistrate pointed to one of the wardens who stepped behind the dragon.

This caused Janice to back off and step down. She knew how to temper herself even in the most trying of situations, even despite the injustice she felt she was experiencing. Still, her diplomatic tendencies overrode any sense of anger she was feeling. The court case was now underway. Occasionally Rikku looked over at Etis who didn't even attempt to meet his gaze. The kitsune continued to listen intently to the proceedings of the court, learning that there wasn't much of a case against the consort.

During a court recess, the magistrate consulted with the prince as was required by the protocol. The Prince felt like he had a good understanding of the situation and was ready to chime in. Rikku's advice would be to release the consort and her group of charges. His reasoning simply because the mode of transportation was normal among the avian breed. He also pointed at the lack of evidence and even mentioned the disdain held by his family against the species.

The magistrates chortled a bit like the teen's openness. She wasn't one to be openly biased and had been appointed for her fairness. She agreed in the claim and the case was dismissed. When the case was over, Rikku made his way over to the table where the defense was situated. Etis eyed him warily but the Kitsune instead approached his dragon mistress.

"Milady, I hope you will not find this misunderstanding reasoning against my people. They are sometimes quick to judge. We hope that you will still honor the agreement with my father?" Rikku placed out his hand in a gesture of a handshake.

She returned the gesture with a firm grasp of his hand. "No of course not. Thank you for taking the time to apologize. We will not take it personally."

"Great. I will notify my parents then. Have a good day." Rikku released his grip and carefully eyed Etis who was still watching him carefully.

The woman exited at the back of the crowd. She hesitated a moment when she saw the griffin boy had remained. She couldn't help but smile.

"What you did today was honorable. Perhaps we can meet again later before our departure in the morrow." Etis folded his arms casually.

The kitsune nodded. "Sure, that sounds good. Same place as before?"

"How about the garden? Since you seemed to like that so much. Tonight before bed. I have things I must attend to before then as I am sure you do as well" The griffin began walking away towards his mistress who was patiently waiting for him.

Rikku instantly feel better and figured he had redeemed whatever wrong he had committed earlier. The consort group walked out of the courtroom leaving the kitsune with the warden and magistrate. They nodded to him which meant that they were done for the day. It seemed shorter than normal but he wasn't about to complain. Besides, there were days where the court was super busy, and others where it was dead. It all depended on the caseload.

It seemed that he had the remainder of the day off. So he decided to head to the stables and pick up his horse and relax a bit. Riding was one of the few things he did daily that he enjoyed. Rikku began to make his way towards the front of the castle where the horse stables were situated. The guards stood at attention as he passed by them. None of them saying a word to him as it was pretty normal to see him around this part of the building.

Once outside it was getting darker. The sun was beginning to set and many of the lamps had already been lit for the night. He followed the path to the stables, seeing only a single person around. But it wasn't someone he was expecting. It seemed to be Etis, but he couldn't be sure. Slowly he approached the figure from behind, taking a second to examine it more closely.

"Etis, is that you? I thought you had the stuff to do?" The kitsune made sure to keep his distance in case he was wrong.

The griffin turned around. "Yeah, she let me off early since the case went so well."

"Ah, that's good. Do you like horses? I could show you to ride if you like." Rikku walked over towards his horse and began petting it.

Etis walked towards the other teen seeming interested in what the other had to offer. "Sure, that sounds good."

"Alright, let me help you up." The kitsune cupped his hands in an offer to aid his friend.

Rikku was able to help him up even though the other boy's weight being pressed on him caused quite the struggle. Once he was on board, the kitsune joined behind him and the two sat motionless on top of the steed. The smaller teen could not see over his friend but knew he had to make do for this to work.

Rikku whispered into his ears. "Alright take a hold of the reins and hold them in your hands."

Etis took hold of the ropes which was connected to the bridle resting in the steed's mouth. The kitsune lifted the other boy's arm which signaled the horse to go.

Step by step the mount ventured forward. Rikku hadn't tightened the reins much and so the initial speed was quite slow. No one else was around to bother them. Although the prince couldn't see, he didn't need to. The kitsune knew the layout of the area as he was quite the adept rider. He had grown up learning the hobby from his parents. His mother was especially the jockey and known for her prowess on the performance stage.

Slowly they made theirs around the palace tracks. It was situated around a circle but Rikku had to do a figure eight to avoid some of the obstacles that normally he would jump over. Etis was enjoying himself quite a bit despite being somewhat afraid. Soon the smaller boy was feeling bored and wanted to try something to spice up the otherwise mundane ordeal. Rikku decided to try their luck by clearing one barricade.

He slapped the reins down at once. Immediately the steed began to pick up speed and race forward at an ever-increasing pace. Rikku knew he had to time it exactly right and had to rely purely on intuition since he couldn't see over the bigger boy. Etis took a deep breath as the rush of wind blew by his face, flattening the fur on his face. The breeze picking up as they galloped forward, his panic intensified as he saw the fence come ever closer.

A mere moment later they were upon it. Rikku brandished his feet into the sides of the horse causing it to jump at once. They cleared the obstacle at ease, but once they were over it the horse suddenly reared. It's two riders shaken and even despite the kitsune's skill he could not maintain both of their positions upon it. The two teens collapsed to the floor and the horse walked away from them as if spooked by some unknown enigma.

But instead of being injured, the two laughed it off. Etis smiled and rolled over to look at his friend who sat up just as easily as he did. The boys did not seem phased by it. The griffin still harboring a smile on his face and the kitsune seeming equally pleased with himself. Rikku was the first one up since it was not the first time he had been bucked off. He offered a helping hand to his friend who gladly took his aid.

Etis was brought to an upright position and he brushed himself off to get some of the dirt his body had collected from the fall. The griffin continued to hold hands with the other, seeming quite content in their newfound friendship. The two looking off into the distance as the sun began to set. The horse returning to it's stable on its own. No words were exchanged between the two as an awkward silence remained for a few moments.

Etis turned his head and Rikku met the gaze with his own. The two's eyes remained transfixed on one another. The larger boy leaned in and soon their lips met. They shared a kiss for a good few seconds before it was finally broken. The griffin and kitsune seeming closer than ever. As the sun took its final dive into the horizon, Etis and Rikku returned inside. Some wandering eyes catching their joined hands but saying nothing for it was not their place.

The two walked around together for some time before retiring to their chambers. Etis had almost forgotten about his departure tomorrow. However, the task of his consort had been done. The relationship between Evermore and the Aery had been saved. Both boys would have their version to tell of the story of how they had saved the day. Both went to sleep with full hearts and happy dreams.

Etis who passed him off a note clandestinely in his hand.

"Be sure to write. I hope to visit again."

In the morrow, Rikku made sure to see off his friend. The kitsune's family even joining him for the occasion to see off the avian consort. They soon flew off into the distance. Rikku was glad he had made a friend and eager to tell his parents of the ordeal. Of course, there would be certain details left out. But he felt like he had done something good. Only time would tell if the uneasy peace would remain.