{"sf1_id":1787036,"sf2_id":"qmylWgPe","title":"For the Prince 1","author":"Winterlace","words":1422,"posted_at":"2021-11-19T05:17:00.000Z","tags":["Fantasy","Feet","No-Yiff","Violence (Not In Yiff)"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1787036-for-the-prince-1","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/qmylWgPe","image_url":"https://www.sofurryfiles.com/std/thumb?page=1787036\u0026ext=.jpg","description":"This is my first published story on here! It's a bit.. tame, haha. Please comment what you think!","content":"The cloak flailed behind him as he stood, facing the cliff and the powerful breeze that lashed at it.\n\nHis reptilian eyes were fixated on the area below that cliff: a clearing, where the Forest of Follies met the Artisan's Range. Any moment now, his mark would arrive.\n\nFor just a moment, he glanced up, toward the sun, and quickly raised a pale blue, scaly arm over his head. Any moment now, he could get away from this wretched ball of fire. With his raised arm, he adjusted his cloak, and held it in place against the wind.\n\nJust then, his ears perked up as they caught a faint rustling of dry grass. He brought his eyes back to the clearing, and held his breath.\n\n  \n\nA few seconds passed, and a rather shady looking wolf emerged from the forest, lugging a small pack on his shoulder. He looked left, then right, then left once more, before setting the pack down.\n\nThe reptilian smiled as he spotted the thing.\n\nThat must be it.\n\nHe reached down to his waist and took his trusty mace into his hand, before leaping down into the clearing.\n\nHe landed with practiced elegance on the grassy landscape with little sound, and the wolf nearly fell over, stumbling away from the pack with a surprised gasp.\n\n  \n\n\"A.. a kobold? W-what do you want, lizard?\" The wolf's voice was plenty gruff, but it meant little when it was filled with such apprehension.\n\n  \n\nThe kobold twirled the mace around in his hand. \"Are you Wenlan?\"\n\n  \n\n\"..what?\"\n\n  \n\n\"Are you Wenlan?\"\n\n  \n\nThe wolf blinked. \"What is it t-to you?\"\n\n  \n\nWith a smile, the kobold held the mace steady in his hand. \"Gend sent me to meet a Wenlan in his stead. If you're not him..\"\n\n  \n\nThe wolf - Wenlan - visibly relaxed, perhaps foolishly. \"What he wants is in the pack. But first..\"\n\n  \n\nThe kobold tilted his head. \"First?\"\n\n  \n\nWenlan impatiently waved his hand. \"My payment?\"\n\n  \n\nThe kobold tilted his head even more. It was an odd sight, and the wolf raised an eyebrow at it. \"I wasn't told anything about paying you.\" He glanced at the pack. \"Just to get whatever's in there.\"\n\n  \n\nWenlan's eyes narrowed, and a moment of silence arose between the two. \"..is that how it is, then?\"\n\n  \n\nThe kobold's smile faded, and he straightened his posture. \"I suppose.\"\n\n  \n\nAnother period of silence, only interrupted by the sound of a dagger rubbing against a leather scabbard.\n\n  \n\nWenlan raised it toward the kobold, who simply blinked. \"I thought t-this might happen.. lizard.\"\n\n  \n\n\"It's Winter,\" he stated as he likewise raised his mace.\n\n  \n\nYet another silent moment passed.\n\n  \n\nAnd then, Wenlan charged. He ran straight at Winter, jumping over the pack and thrusting the dagger downwards.\n\nWinter gasped, and rolled to the right just as the dagger came down on his left arm, leaving a nasty gash. Blue blood came seeping from it, trickling down the arm to his fingers. Through the pain, he forced himself up.\n\nOnly to see that Wenlan and the pack were gone.\n\n  \n\nA deep breath. \"Damnit.\" He looked around the clearing once more, and there was indeed no sign of the wolf.\n\nTeleportation magic was likely the culprit. And if that was the case, there would be no finding his mark now.\n\n  \n\nWinter gave a heavy sigh, and glanced at his wound. It would heal; it just needed a little help.\n\nHe brought his opposite hand to it, and closed his eyes. After a moment of concentration, a freezing sensation emerged around the wound, and he hissed as he felt its sting.\n\nThe wound was then closed. His arm would be a bit rigid for a while, but it was better than bleeding everywhere.\n\n  \n\nHe then wordlessly set out into the forest. A sigh left his lips; he wasn't looking forward to reporting his failure.\n\n  \n\n  \n\n\"..teleportation? I see.\" The lithe sergal closed his eyes in contemplation. \"You're certain?\"\n\n  \n\n\"No. But it's the only possibility that comes to mind.\" Winter scratched his head as he knelt before the throne.\n\n  \n\nThe sergal opened his eyes. \"Hrm.. then his background wasn't properly investigated. There are not many that can simply vanish like that, that quickly, that far..\"\n\n  \n\nWinter softly hummed in agreement. \"Though, I do wonder what was in that pack..\"\n\n  \n\nThat thought was interrupted by the sergal poking his head with a fuzzy, thick toe. \"Can't tell you,\" he said, teasingly.\n\n  \n\nWinter blushed and averted his eyes, feeling a heat arise within him. \"D-don't do that. That's.. It's improper for a Prince like yourself to.. poke your servants, Gend.\"\n\n  \n\nGend chuckled. \"I don't have to take that from you, kid.\" He poked Winter again, who turned even redder.\n\n  \n\n\"I'm.. 19.\"\n\n  \n\n\"Hmmm?\"\n\n  \n\n\"I'm 19!\" Winter looked back at Gend. \"You're only five years older, furball.\"\n\n  \n\nA moment passed as they glared at each other.\n\nGend cracked first. A smirk, then a laugh. A subdued laugh, but a laugh nonetheless.\n\nNot even a second passed before Winter joined in. It was.. not quite as quiet; he wasn't sure why, but an unusually loud laugh escaped his lips. He covered his mouth, which only muffled it a bit.\n\n  \n\n\"I.. oh, that was loud, wasn't it?\" He gave an uneasy chuckle, and he looked nervously behind him, to the doorway leading out of the throne room.\n\n  \n\nGend waved his hand dismissively. \"Don't worry about it. Nothing important's going on today.\" A pause. \"I think..\"\n\nHe then stood up, and lifted both arms upward in a stretch, letting out a soft groan. \"Well, we'll have Kostille deal with this after all, then.\"\n\n  \n\nWinter's eyes widened. \"Wha- no! I mean.. you ordered me to handle this. Right?\"\n\n  \n\nGend looked down at the kobold, a slight frown on his face. \"And you couldn't do it; this is outside of your capabilities. Didn't you say he almost stabbed you?\"\n\n  \n\nWinter shot himself up on his feet at that, eyes narrowing. \"Plenty of people almost stab me; I just have that effect on people!\" He rubbed his arm, its wound now all healed up. \"And he did stab me, but you couldn't tell; that ought to say a lot.\"\n\n  \n\nA sigh. \"Winter..\" Gend placed a few fingers on his forehead. \"If he really did use World Transfer, then think about what else he could be capable of.\"\n\n  \n\n\"We don't know that he used it.\"\n\n  \n\n\"Is it any better if there's another one of them out there?\"\n\n  \n\nWinter opened his mouth to retort, but found that there wasn't anything he could say. After a moment, Gend reached down to pat the relatively-short kobold on the head.\n\n\"Maybe Kostille wouldn't mind having a tag-along...\"\n\n  \n\nWinter huffed. \"Perhaps he wouldn't mind throwing a few curses on me, as well..\"\n\n  \n\nGend's fingers idly rubbed at Winter's horns. \"Oh, I'm sure he'll save a few, just for you.\"\n\n  \n\nThis only earned another huff from Winter. Gend then raised his arms in a stretch and yawned. \"Cheer up, kid. It'll be safer this way.\" A pause. \"Just focus on separating the pack from the wolf, and let Kostille focus on fighting him. Okay?\"\n\n  \n\nWinter dropped his eyes to the ground for a moment, but eventually nodded. \"I.. won't let you down.\"\n\n  \n\nGend gave Winter one final pat. \"I know.\" He then sat back onto his throne. \"You're dismissed. I'll see what the Arcanologists can scry up... in the meantime, go take a nap. Or something.\" Gend waved a hand.\n\n  \n\nWinter glanced at his arm for a moment, before setting his gaze on Gend. \"At once. Thank you.\" He bowed, which Gend chuckled at, then turned and walked out of the room, heading toward his quarters.\n\n  \n\n* * *\n  \n\nUpon arrival, Winter slammed his door rather loudly and plopped himself on his bed, also loudly. The room was of modest size, just large enough to host a bed, chair, and a desk, upon which sat a stack of unread novels and a potted Dinkflower. Upon the wall hung a Masque Troope poster, with frontman Hans Kerschal wielding his iconic Magi-Lute, which was magically tethered to a nearby Sound Amp. All of that was, of course, necessary exposition, placed conveniently at the end of the chapter.\n\n  \n\nWinter slowly pulled the sheets over his body and closed his eyes. He wondered how long it would take the Prince's scholars to track down the wolf... a few hours? A day? A few days? Winter idly rubbed his wounded arm as he drifted asleep. It wouldn't be long until that teleporting wolf got what was coming to him.\n\n  \n  \n\n"}