{"sf1_id":243867,"sf2_id":"V1YDlPOn","title":"The Grandmaster of Sarthas - Chapter 20","author":"Ceberune","words":1202,"posted_at":"2011-04-26T04:18:00.000Z","tags":["Character Development","Fox","M/F","Plot Development","Rabbit","Suggestive","Tiger","Wolf"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/243867-the-grandmaster-of-sarthas-chapter-20","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/V1YDlPOn","image_url":"https://www.sofurryfiles.com/std/thumb?page=243867\u0026ext=.jpg","description":"#7 of The Grandmaster of Sarthas","content":"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The Kitsune monarch approached the seated amarok carefully.\u0026nbsp; Nothing was quite as disturbing that walking up on a phoenix taking care of their ancestral weapons.\u0026nbsp; Watching a male wolf copy those motions with unerring accuracy did not help matters as the wolf spoke.\u0026nbsp; \"I see why you flunked out of Sharp Shooter School Your Majesty.\"\u0026nbsp; The wolf said in a playful manner.\u0026nbsp; The fox king sputtered a moment before sighing.\u0026nbsp; \"I was never one for sneaking around.\u0026nbsp; I was always a sucker for a fair fight.\"\u0026nbsp; The wolf chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"Says the monarch that used his 'celebrity' status to intimidate competition at the Midrarian tournament.\"\u0026nbsp; Alhundro chuckled at this.\u0026nbsp; \"Considering your training, that would all be part of the 'fair' fight.\u0026nbsp; Your Sensei is all for underhanded tactics.\u0026nbsp; That is why most of his students are courtesans.\u0026nbsp; Their battlefield is lies and deception.\u0026nbsp; You are a warrior by nature, trained in the ways of honorable combat that the Pheonix live and breathe, and yet you do not hesitate to cheat when the opportunity presents itself.\"\u0026nbsp; He said.\u0026nbsp; The wolf chuckled and placed his blade back onto the pedestal that sat nearby after placing it back in its saya.\u0026nbsp; \"My master taught me what he used to win the wars he has fought.\u0026nbsp; Because of my upbringing, I do not have the 'benefit' of the concept of honor or fair.\u0026nbsp; I understand the concepts now, and would like if things could be kept on fair footing, but I will not hesitate to take the low road for the purposes of victory and survival.\"\u0026nbsp; The King smiled.\u0026nbsp; \"That is what I wanted to hear.\u0026nbsp; I am sure that Bianca and Bomani have tried to give you some ideas on how to use your Estate for the best profits, or any profit at all.\u0026nbsp; I would like to add a proposal of my own.\u0026nbsp; One that would keep with the best practices of the nation in which it is located.\"\u0026nbsp; Ceberune chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"How kind of you Alhundro.\"\u0026nbsp; He said.\u0026nbsp; The fox chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"Your predecessor kept with the local druid circles in keeping no more troops on the Estate than he needed to keep it safe.\u0026nbsp; Something that always hit the nation's bottom line.\u0026nbsp; We make out talons through the hiring of our hunters and mercenaries to the world, and this estate refused to keep its own hirable unit.\"\u0026nbsp; The wolf smirked.\u0026nbsp; \"You want a free male Amarok to raise an army, within your boarders, for the purposes of taxable income?\"\u0026nbsp; He asked.\u0026nbsp; Alhundro smiled.\u0026nbsp; \"You have no ties here.\u0026nbsp; No family and no political history in Horia.\u0026nbsp; Your Estate would become a political wildcard, one that could provide me with some leverage to pass some laws that I have been working long and hard to get done.\"\u0026nbsp; The wolf chuckled. \u0026nbsp;\"I have no interest in getting involved in the politics of your nation Alhundro.\"\u0026nbsp; The fox smirked.\u0026nbsp; \"Then don't, but realize that you are in position that will make you a target.\u0026nbsp; Lords will constantly wish to speak with you, invite you to Council meetings, or just bore you to death with small talk.\u0026nbsp; I will be more than happy to tell them to leave well enough alone, but nobles being nobles, you will have spies constantly sneaking in here and likely assassins soon after.\"\u0026nbsp; He said.\u0026nbsp; The wolf grumbled.\u0026nbsp; \"Can I appoint a spokesperson?\u0026nbsp; Having to show up in Horia every six months for a Council meeting will cut into the ability to raise a proper army.\"\u0026nbsp; The fox laughed.\u0026nbsp; \"Like the idea do you?\"\u0026nbsp; the wolf chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"Anything that makes you a target of the Matriarchy is always amusing Alhundro.\"\u0026nbsp; The fox waved off the concern.\u0026nbsp; \"If I lived my life with worry of what another nation can or would do to me if they had half the chance, I would never leave my room at the Palace.\"\u0026nbsp; The wolf smiled.\u0026nbsp; \"Consider your army raised Alhundro.\"\u0026nbsp; The Monarch offered the wolf his paw which was taken in friendship by the Grand Master.\u0026nbsp; \"I and the coffers of my nation thank you Lord Onyxclaw.\"\u0026nbsp; He teased the wolf.\u0026nbsp; Ceberune chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"I could almost get used to the title...\"\u0026nbsp; he said with no small amount of sarcasm.\u0026nbsp; The King laughed.\u0026nbsp; \"Best get used to it.\u0026nbsp; All the workers on the Estate will call you by that title, as per their standing contract.\u0026nbsp; All visiting nobles and their messengers are also expected to use that title.\u0026nbsp; Bowing isn't quite as formal here as it is in the East, but it is recognized as a respectful greeting.\"\u0026nbsp; The wolf grumbled.\u0026nbsp; \"I think the army will just be calling me 'boss'.\"\u0026nbsp; Alhundro chuckled at that.\u0026nbsp; \"How mercenary of you.\"\u0026nbsp; He said.\u0026nbsp; The wolf chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"I will consult with my compatriots about the planning of this new company.\u0026nbsp; We can meet in a month or two to discuss things in person?\"\u0026nbsp; He wolf asked.\u0026nbsp; The fox nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Excellent.\u0026nbsp; I will see that I have the time.\u0026nbsp; It is not often I get to meet with someone who could kill me in more ways that I can count, kill all my honor guard, then go up in front of my Council and make it all look like my fault.\"\u0026nbsp; The wolf had to laugh.\u0026nbsp; \"That thought had never crossed my mind, but thank you for the ideas.\u0026nbsp; Never hurts to plan for the future.\"\u0026nbsp; He says teasingly.\u0026nbsp; \"As if you do not already have a rudimentary plan with several contingencies...\"\u0026nbsp; the fox fired back.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The wolf smirked.\u0026nbsp; \"All this talk of murder aside, I have to thank you.\"\u0026nbsp; He said.\u0026nbsp; The fox quirked his head. \u0026nbsp;\"For what?\"\u0026nbsp; he queried.\u0026nbsp; \"For taking care of Nadia while I recovered.\"\u0026nbsp; The wolf said with sincerity.\u0026nbsp; The fox nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"A service I would gladly perform again.\u0026nbsp; Though with a few diet changes next time.\u0026nbsp; And perhaps with bigger quarters.\u0026nbsp; It seems no matter where I went in those rooms of mine, she was able to find me, pounce me or seduce me.\"\u0026nbsp; The wolf chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"Better you then me.\"\u0026nbsp; He teased, Alhundro chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"Trust me.\u0026nbsp; She was using me as a substitute.\u0026nbsp; She wanted you the entire time.\"\u0026nbsp; The wolf chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"I need to find her a good male to focus on.\u0026nbsp; I am trying to get her away from looking at me as the be-all end-all male.\"\u0026nbsp; He said.\u0026nbsp; Alhundro chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"Good luck with that my friend.\"\u0026nbsp; He said.\u0026nbsp; \"But before a certain rabbit royal comes out here with the wailing voice that she is starving, we may want to return to the estate.\"\u0026nbsp; Alhundro said.\u0026nbsp; The wolf chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"It is getting to be around dinner time.\u0026nbsp; Surprised she missed lunch...\"\u0026nbsp; he said musing.\u0026nbsp; Alhundro laughed.\u0026nbsp; \"Bomani kept her quiet for most of the afternoon.\"\u0026nbsp; Ceberune chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"Best get cooking then before the poor tiger dies from exhaustion.\"\u0026nbsp; He said.\u0026nbsp; Alhundro smiled.\u0026nbsp; \"And do not forget Nadia...\"\u0026nbsp; he said.\u0026nbsp; Ceberune chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"Come on Nadia.\u0026nbsp; You may as well watch me cook as I know you will want something to do around here, at least for the time being.\"\u0026nbsp; He said.\u0026nbsp; The female fox popped out of her hiding place and looked around happily as she followed her master back to the estate.\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"The Grandmaster of Sarthas","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/234465-the-grandmaster-of-sarthas-chapter-19.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/254860-the-grandmaster-of-sarthas-chapter-21.json"}}