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"The Crown"

by Calypso

CHAPTER SEVEN

Yang-Wo worried over the next few days. He really wanted to talk to Xeneth, to convince him that action needed to be taken in order to save the remaining nations on the Continent, but there simply wasn't a good time; any alone time between the cougar and his handsome master was at the wolf's discretion. Yang-Wo had already seen the downfall of his own country firstpaw, and he had no desire to see any others come under the Queen's control.

Furthermore, the slaves were in uproar over the horrible plan, being told by Yang-Wo and Velnuro. They all recalled how their nations had fallen, and they wanted to do something before the whole continent was conquered. However, each discussion only brought about the same question: "What can we do?" This resulted in the same answer: "Nothing. We are slaves." This kind of circular negative attitude had Yang-Wo even more on-edge, desperate to express his worries to his master.

Thankfully, an opportunity to speak to Xeneth came six days after the war meeting. It was still early, and Yang-Wo had just finished being groomed by Lang for the day when Melnamourn burst into the harem as usual, as snooty as ever.

"Yang-Wo!" he bellowed annoyedly. "You are needed!"

The cougar rushed through the front room to follow Melnamourn out the doors, the elder wolf leading him away from Xeneth's chambers.

"You are to serve Prince Xeneth breakfast in bed, as he's feeling tired and would prefer to relax this morning," Melnamourn explained tersely.

Yang-Wo smiled to himself briefly, glad for the chance to be alone with the wolf Prince again.

After gathering an immensely heavy tray laden with an exquisite and sumptuous breakfast, Yang-Wo was escorted up to Xeneth's chambers, mentally cursing Melnamourn for not even slowing his pace as the cougar strained under the weight of his master's meal.

Melnamourn stopped at the doors, and one of the usual guards knocked for him.

"Enter," came Xeneth's voice from inside.

Once the guards had opened the double doors, Melnamourn strode inside pompously, Yang-Wo hobbling in after him and feeling as though he might collapse at any moment from the crushing weight of the silver platter.

"Your breakfast has arrived, Your Highness. Will you require anything else?" Melnamourn asked in his typical greasy voice.

"No, thank you Melnamourn. You may go," said Xeneth quietly from his bed. Yang-Wo's eyes were on the floor, but he thought Xeneth was tucked under the covers still.

"Good day, sire," Melnamourn said with a nod, turning and exiting swiftly, the heavy wooden doors shutting resoundingly behind him.

"Hello beautiful," Xeneth greeted in a silky voice, his sheets rustling before Yang-Wo had even looked up. The cougar smiled and flushed in his ears, but he'd barely caught a glance of Xeneth before the wolf had swept the heavy tray out of his arms and set it down on the bed. Yang-Wo didn't even have the chance to say "thank you" before Xeneth's mouth was on his, the wolf's paws pulling the feline's face toward his own in a passionate embrace. Yang-Wo felt dizzy with glee and desire and pleasure, returning his master's kiss in equal measure, his paws running down the wolf's naked chest and stomach, then resting on his narrow waist.

Their kiss softened in intensity until gradually, Xeneth pulled back and whispered, "I missed you every day," then kissed the cougar a couple more times, simply gentle touches of their lips.

Yang-Wo's heart twinged with feeling, and he replied, "And I you, Xeneth," gripping the wolf around the middle and pulling him into a tight hug. The canine returned the squeeze gratefully, rubbing Yang-Wo's back in a soothing sort of way.

After a few moments, Xeneth pulled back, grinning from ear to ear (which only made him look adorable, in Yang-Wo's opinion), and said, "Come! Let us have breakfast, I am sure you are hungry. And..." he trailed, searching Yang-Wo's eyes for a moment, "Yang, I want to know you so badly...We have hours to spend together today, and I want to know as much as I can about you."

Yang-Wo let this statement absorb for a moment before saying, "Alright," with a happy smile.

An hour later, Xeneth and Yang-Wo were cuddled in bed together, the tray of breakfast off to the side, their hunger and thirst sated, and their conversation only beginning. Even while they were eating, Xeneth was asking question after question, wanting to know everything he could about the cougar. Interestingly, most of the questions Xeneth asked were very thought provoking, and Yang-Wo had to ponder for a moment before deciding on an answer. However...

"What's your favorite color?" Xeneth asked seriously, as if he were asking about a dangerous illness.

"What?" Yang-Wo laughed.

"It's a legitimate question!" Xeneth chuckled.

"Alright...red," Yang-Wo replied.

"Hmmm..." said Xeneth, smiling and thinking of his next question. "What-"

"No, wait, let me ask one!" Yang-Wo interrupted.

"Alright, you ask one then, His Royal Quid Pro Quo," Xeneth said with a smile.

"What's your favorite color?" Yang-Wo countered, grinning.

"Blue," Xeneth answered immediately. "The exact shade of your eyes, to be precise."

This sent Yang-Wo into another fit of embarrassment, so he snuggled his face into Xeneth's chest to hide it.

"Why do you care about me so much?" Yang-Wo asked quietly.

"I can't explain what it is about you that draws me in, Yang," Xeneth answered, petting the cougar's head. "It's more than just your beauty, though that certainly is more than alluring," he complimented genuinely, running a paw along the cougar's body. "Your genuine heart and strong moral character appeal to me, and your selflessness and kindness are certainly draws. But, even more than that, you seem to really...well, to be honest Yang, you're really the first person who I felt actually listened when I spoke."

Yang-Wo was dumbfounded momentarily by Xeneth's honesty, and flattered, and enamored. He looked at Xeneth in the eyes, and they touched noses and smiled and stared at each other for a while. Then, Yang-Wo said, "I am so sorry that you've suffered that kind of neglect...you're a beautiful person, Xeneth, and you deserve to be heard, to be listened to. I will always hear what you have to say." And, as if to seal this as a promise, Yang-Wo kissed Xeneth's mouth tenderly.

"So sweet and generous and beautiful..." Xeneth whispered, pushing his lips against his slave's again.

Their kisses rose in intensity again, until their passion was being expressed by their entire bodies, Yang-Wo's arms wrapped around Xeneth's neck, one of Xeneth's arms around the cougar's waist and the other paw stroking down his slender back. Their torsos were melded, legs tangled, and suddenly, Yang-Wo was blushing and panting. Not only was his slave thong nearly overflowing with his own desire, but Xeneth's wolfhood had gone from hanging benignly between his legs to standing powerfully erect between them, prodding the cougar in the belly bluntly. The cylindrical piece of flesh was throbbing with heat and craving, and Yang-Wo thought he could almost feel the rounded head flare with a flex from its owner.

"Xeneth, I..." Yang-Wo trailed, his chest bouncing with his belabored breath. His body was responding to the wolf in ways he didn't know it was capable of.

"It's alright, Yang..." Xeneth replied warmly, kissing the cougar again and again. The wolf's hips withdrew a bit, giving his slave's body some room to breathe, and ran his paw through Yang-Wo's long, platinum hair, which Lang had left loose.

"I'm sorry..." Yang-Wo said softly. "I've just...I'd never kissed someone until you kissed me, never held someone quite like this... You have so much more experience than I do, you must've kissed and held and made love to several people by now." The cougar's eyes closed briefly as he again ran a paw down his master's sculpted, firm chest, then he opened them to look Xeneth in the eyes again, still finding the mismatched brown and green to be fascinating and wonderous.

"Actually Yang... You are the first I've ever kissed, ever held in such a way. I took some of my slaves to my bed because I could not call them a harem without doing so. Their safety and comfort here depends on the façade I've created. Unfortunately, to keep them, I had to violate a few of them... But, better violated than imprisoned or dead." Xeneth's serious expression melted into one of affection as he stared at Yang-Wo. "Yang, everything about you, about what we do here, is new to me. Everything I feel when I'm with you is new. Every word out of your lovely mouth enchants me, every touch from you excites me, and every instinct I have is telling me to protect you and care for you and treasure you."

Yang-Wo simply stared in wonder and surprise. Every moment with Xeneth had been a surprise, most especially the way the cougar found himself feeling in the wolf's presence. He'd never even heard of an interspecies romance other than the trechery that resulted in the birth of the men's shared ancestor, Kevna. He also knew that same-sex love was frowned upon in his homeland, mainly because it did not allow royals to produce heirs to the throne, but Yang-Wo also assumed that there was some prejudice based on the fact that same-sex attraction was largely an unknown to Beldai. But now, here, in this room with Prince Xeneth of Zanat-Ven, an Ulcouri royal and black wolf, Yang-Wo had never felt more attracted and enamored, more intrigued and infatuated, and he felt himself falling deeper and deeper under Xeneth's spell. However, he was surprised to realize that he enjoyed the fall.

Then, at that very moment, he realized that something had been bothering him for days. Thinking of Kevna had sparked it again, that worry for his people and the people of the Continent.

"Oh Spirits! How could I be so distracted?" he exclaimed. Xeneth had a bit of a hurt look on his face after expressing his heart so openly, but Yang-Wo ignored it. "Xeneth, we must do something about that horrible plan of your mother's!"

The wolf's face contorted to an angry grimace. "Trust me, Yang, I've been worrying about it, and I knew that this would be the final outcome of the war. She is planning to conquer the whole Continent, and unless she's stopped, she'll likely do it."

"What can we do? How can we stop her?" Yang-Wo asked. "I've felt her power firstpaw...I would never stand a chance against her. My mother would, but she's in prison..." the cougar trailed, thinking. "Wait, what if we find a way to get my parents out of prison and have them ambush the Queen?"

"Yang, the prison is one of the most heavily guarded areas of the castle. I may be accomplished with Spirit magic, but I'm far from invincible." Xeneth's brow was furrowed.

"But if we made a plan! We could work together to free them! And the other prisoners, too! Plus all the slaves could help...there's so many of us here!" Yang-Wo was smiling, getting excited by the prospect of being able to help, to do something positive. "We could all work together to overthrow the Queen and end this war!"

Xeneth shook his head, gripping the cougar to his chest fiercely. "Yang, it's not that simple...and...I couldn't bear it if something happened to you. You've no idea how much you're beginning to mean to me...when my mother nearly...I almost lost my mind..."

Yang-Wo's heart began to beat rapidly, and he felt warm and tingly and moved beyond words. He returned Xeneth's hug tightly, and said, "Oh Xeneth...it's alright...I am here, I am not leaving you."

The wolf pulled back from the warm embrace to kiss the cougar again, who accepted the affection warmly. "I cherish you, Yang-Wo. I could not bear to see you hurt again..."

Yang-Wo gave Xeneth his own kiss, which smoothed the lines of worry from the wolf's visage, a small smile gracing it instead. "Xeneth, you are very dear to me, but this is bigger than you and me. This is the whole Continent we're talking about, three more kingdoms of people destined to fall under your mother's rule. We must do anything we can to stop her."

Xeneth stared into Yang-Wo's icy eyes and replied, "You are right, of course... But allow me to think on what we can do for a while. If we do anything, it must be absolutely flawlessly executed, and completely unnoticed. If even a whiff of treachery is caught on the wind by someone like my stepsister or Sennaven, we will pray to the Spirits for death, I assure you."

The serious expression on Xeneth's face harrowed the cougar, and he said, "I shall think seriously on this as well. And the next time we meet, we shall discuss our plans." He kissed the wolf again, and he felt as the man he was holding melted into a warm, affectionate, relaxed posture once more. They looked at each other and smiled, and Yang-Wo said, "Let us enjoy the rest of the time we have here, Your Highness...it looks like there are dark days ahead, and I'd like some warm memories to keep me strong."

And for the rest of their time together, they embraced and kissed and held each other, falling deeper and faster than ever before. And the bliss they felt was untouchable, even by the worries of tomorrow.

As Yang-Wo followed Melnamourn back to the harem that afternoon, he was giddy with glee after spending so much private time with Xeneth. The two young Princes had engaged in long conversations and intimate explorations-after they deviated from the Queen's awful plot-that had left the cougar positively glowing, and it took all of his self-control to compel his face into a more stoic expression, his legs tensing as he forced the bounce from his step.

"Your quarters," Melnamourn said, pushing the doors for Yang-Wo to enter. There was something about the wolf's demeanor that was outside his usual coldness. "I wonder why Prince Xeneth kept you so long today..." he trailed, his voice suggesting deep curiosity. He hadn't said so, but it was clear by the way he was blocking the cougar from actually entering the harem that he expected an answer.

Yang-Wo kept his eyes on the floor, as usual, and said slowly, "It is not my place to question the orders of His Royal Highness." He gave his voice just the right inflection to sound sincere, but to also imply that it was not Melnamourn's place to question Xeneth either.

"Indeed," Melnamourn replied dryly, moving out of Yang-Wo's way to allow him entry, his eyes narrowing.

They said no more to each other as Yang-Wo entered, and Melnamourn unceremoniously slammed the doors behind the feline as always.

"There you are, Yang-Wo!" said Velnuro, coming over to shake paws with the cougar and pat him on the back. "I had just been wondering where you'd gotten off to. You've been gone all morning!" The dragon was smiling as he led the cougar to a small group seated in the corner, who looked as though they had been playing a card game.

"Yes, the Prince summoned me to serve him breakfast," Yang-Wo said wearily, as if the act had tired him. He was trying his absolute best to keep his smile to a friendly smirk rather than the beaming grin he wanted to show, and he knew that now was the time he needed to act, and act well. "Where's Adam?" he asked, glancing around at the group, the horse's hulking frame conspicuously missing.

"The Prince sent him and a few others to help tend the gardens. I suppose they needed a few strong backs to carry some heavy loads," said Velnuro, seating himself next to Melanie. "I suppose they have all the wealth in the world to expand their gardens endlessly, the way they conquer the lands of others..." he added bitterly under his breath.

"Hello Yang!" she said with a smile.

"Good afternoon, Yang-Wo," greeted Chessia.

"Hello ladies," Yang-Wo said pleasantly, though of course he'd caught what Velnuro had said.

"So you were serving breakfast to the Prince this whole time?" asked Melanie as Yang-Wo took a seat next to Chessia, who dealt him into their card game.

"Yes. He must be feeling under the weather, he hasn't gotten out of bed. I just brought him his breakfast, sang to him, kept him company." Yang-Wo felt this was vague enough to pass, but he caught a glimmer of suspicion in Melanie's eyes.

"He really enjoys your singing, doesn't he?" she asked with a raise of one eyebrow.

"I suppose so," replied Yang-Wo firmly, his expression remaining the same. He didn't want to give away even the slightest hint of his and the Prince's relationship. What is our relationship? he asked himself.

There was a brief silence that felt a touch awkward, so Chessia chimed in by telling Melanie it was her turn in the game.

From then, conversation strayed to different topics, and Yang-Wo had a great sigh of relief inside, thankful that he'd avoided yet another inquiry about his time with the Prince. If they kept seeing each other, he didn't know how long he'd be able to keep their secret, especially from Adam and Melanie. He had no doubt that Adam would be hearing about his time with the Prince when he returned from the gardens.

Adam didn't return until nearly sunset, and he looked exhausted from the moment he entered the harem with the other slaves. He was filthy from head to toe, and it looked as though the dirt had caked with sweat. He headed straight for the baths with the others with barely a 'hello' to everyone else, and was back there for almost an hour. When he returned, he looked very relaxed and refreshed, and his eyes lit up when he spotted Yang-Wo lounging and reading.

"Yang-Wo!" he boomed, opening his arms wide for a hug.

"Hello, Adam," Yang-Wo replied, embracing his friend. He felt awkward, as he'd just rejected Adam's advances a few days before, and this was the first time that Adam had expressed any kind of friendly affection since.

Their hug lasted a little longer than it should have, which Yang-Wo did not fail to notice. He stepped back quickly as soon as Adam released him.

"You were summoned fairly early this morning!" Adam commented, seating himself with a groan. Clearly his muscles were sore. "What did the Prince need of you?"

Yang-Wo also seated himself, stretching his arms over his head. "He seemed to be under the weather, and wanted his breakfast brought to him. I sang to him while he ate and kept him company. He stayed in bed the whole time." Yang-Wo's tone was casual and light, as if it were all in a day's work to lie to a friend.

"Ah, well, he was not too ill to inflict backbreaking labor on his slaves," Adam chortled good-naturedly. "Honestly, though it was hard work, it felt good to be outdoors among the elements again, and good to be doing something more than cleaning and lounging."

"What was it you were doing? I had heard you were in the gardens," Yang-Wo replied with interest, obviously happy that Adam had expressed little interest in what the cougar had made out to be a boring morning. He was also happy that Adam was being so friendly after the less than amiable silent treatment the cougar had been receiving of late.

"I was, along with the others, I'm sure you saw," he said with a smile. "We were digging trenches and moving huge loads of earth by paw. You can imagine that were we to use our powers, the job would have been done in seconds, rather than hours," he laughed. It seemed he really had enjoyed his day's work outside. "It looks as though Her Majesty will be planting something new on the east side of the Castle."

"Perhaps some sort of vicious, carnivorous plant for us to battle for her amusement," Yang-Wo said with a facetious grin.

Adam laughed, and Yang-Wo sighed pleasantly, glad to see the horse smiling and laughing and enjoying himself again. He hoped that this meant that their friendship was back on track, and that their kiss had been forgotten.

"Yang-Wo, I have actually been meaning to talk to you," Adam said softly, still smiling, and sidled closer to his cougar companion. The feline wasn't sure how to feel about this, but stayed in place, waiting for the horse to continue. "About a few nights ago... I am sorry that I pressured you..."

"Think nothing of it," Yang-Wo replied quickly, wanting to steer clear of this subject for good. He also wasn't sure how comfortable he was talking about their kiss in front of many of their fellow slaves, not that any were listening at the moment.

"No...it was wrong. I should not have forced my feelings on you. You are free to make up your own mind and heart, and I should not pressure you," Adam replied, his blue eyes looking rich and deep in the dim lighting.

Yang-Wo realized that the horse was getting very close now. Their bodies were inches apart, and the cougar didn't know how to politely signal that this was past his comfort zone.

"It is alright, really, Adam," he responded, a weak and nervous smile on his mouth. "I'd rather we put it behind us and return to being friends."

"I agree...for now," Adam said suavely, leaning forward into Yang-Wo's personal space. Before the cougar could react, the horse smelled his hair, sighing and beginning to run his fingers through it. "I have thought, and I have concluded that I shall be whatever you need me to be, my little kitten," he continued, his voice only growing more sultry with each passing breath. "And, when the time comes, you shall realize who has loved you, has always taken care of you and has always been here to support you. And then, it is you who shall be what I need you to."

The horse leaned down and pressed his mouth to the cougar's very softly, smiling as he withdrew from the kiss, his fingers continuing to idly comb through Yang-Wo's silken tresses.

Yang-Wo was flabbergasted. He was flattered, but also angered; he was confused, but also incensed; he was attracted, but also disdainful. One part of him thought, How dare he tell me what my future holds, what feelings I'm supposedly going to realize I have! Another part of him thought, Despite his faults, Adam does care for me deeply, and he is handsome, and a great kisser...

Then, a third voice in Yang-Wo's mind spoke up; the part of his mind that remained aware of his surroundings thought, Did anyone see that?

Suddenly, he started looking around everywhere. For the most part, the slaves weren't paying attention at all to the horse and cougar, participating in their own conversations or games or reading. However, there were a few, including Melanie, who had surprised looks on their faces, and who looked away quickly when Yang-Wo's eyes roved over them.

"You are beautiful beyond compare," Adam complimented genuinely, staring at the cougar's face and bringing him back to the situation at paw.

"Thank you," Yang-Wo said tersely, thoroughly embarrassed. "I am flattered, I really am, but-"

"Shhh..." the horse cooed, silencing Yang-Wo's mouth with a finger, which only annoyed the cougar more. "I know how you feel now. But that will change when you see just how much I care for you. I know you'll see my love is true, and that I am yours utterly, and you will come to me when you are ready."

"But-" Yang-Wo began, only to be silenced again by the horse.

"Shhh..." he said again, and the feline's temper seethed. "You resist, but you shall see in time. Unless...you've promised your heart to another?" Adam's tone was inflected with worry as he suddenly realized this possibility.

Yang-Wo's eyes got large, and he shook his head. "N-no, of course not!" he lied, dreading that the lie would be written on his face. Even Xeneth does not know, but...my heart is already his, he thought.

Adam didn't seem totally convinced, which showed in his expression, but eventually, it slid back into a cocky smile. "Of course not," he laughed.

Yang-Wo stood up quickly and stiffly. "I am going to go to bed early, I think! Good night, Adam!" And with that, he marched off to the dormitories, glad to be away from the horse.

"Good night, kitten," replied Adam softly, watching the feline go.