FSE

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Chapter 7

Aylmer chuckled as he leaned back in his seat. "The food was wonderful, Matron. I'm glad Lord Cedric let me in on the secret of his out-of-house eating habits." He flicked an ear at her. "How is he, by the way? I haven't had a chance to see him yet, and there's a few things I'd like to ask him."

The doe blushed. "Thank you, M'lord. I'm honored that it can rival your usual fare. As for Lord Cedric, he is well, besides acting a little strangely today." She paused and tapped her chin, "He rushed outside and didn't pay for his food this morning. I'm not sure what he saw, but it must've been important for him to leave like that. He didn't even have dessert!" She shrugged. "I'm not worried that he won't pay, he knows quite well that I don't want him to, but he does anyways. Often gives me quite a tip too." She blushed slightly. "Would you like to try the apple crumble I just made? I decided to use some new spices that I got at the market yesterday, and I would be honored if you would have the first piece."

Aylmer glanced around at the other patrons and chuckled. "I think I have to accept, Ma'am. Your house of bodyguards would all descend upon me again if I didn't."

"Well, you didn't exactly make the best first impression, M'lord." Matron chided. "Coming in here after all these years and giving me a bear hug! What was I supposed to think? What where they supposed to think? You're not exactly the most harmless-looking figure." Turning to the girl, she smiled softly, "And who is this, M'lord?" She glanced at him, brow raised and lips slightly pursed. "Surely not..."

"N-No!" Aylmer stammered, pushing the air with his paws. "N-Nothing like that." He could feel the red blush in his ears. He was so transparent. It would be a miracle if Matron didn't notice. All he could hope for was that she'd leave the subject be and move on to something else. "I just met her in the market. Chased some mangy cur in a captain's uniform away from her."

Matron spat on the floor. "Him. I've had to have my friends toss him out of my bar quite a few times already. He'll try coming in at least once a week, but thankfully the scum knows when he's outnumbered and outmatched. He always leaves in a couple minutes. By my mother's hooves, I'll not serve the likes of him for as long as I live!"

"And we'll help her!" Came a shout form the crowd.

Matron waved to the direction of the sound. "Thank you, Gren." She took a couple deep breaths. "Pardon my outburst, M'lord, but I couldn't help myself. What is her name?"

Aylmer turned and smiled at her. "It's..." He stopped, smile fading from his face. His ears slowly lay back against his skull and he whined softly. "I didn't ask."

"You what?" Matron began to berate him. "You begin dragging the poor girl around the city, you take her into a tavern, buy her food, and you don't know her name? Good lords and masters, they way male brains work." She glared at him. "Now, why didn't you ask her?"

'Don't say you were distracted by her looks, and do not say you were distracted by her scent.' Aylmer began rehearsing in his mind. "It never occurred to me. There was no occasion to use it, we had started taking without it, and we hadn't talked to anyone else, so there was no reason to draw each other's attention..."

Matron shook a paw at him. "Ask her. I'm not getting your dessert until you ask her name."

Aylmer was sure that his blush was showing through his brown fur by now as he turned to the girl, who was holding a hand to her mouth, no doubt trying to hold in laughter at him. He felt a wave of shame and inadequacy. How was he supposed to woo her if he was so clumsy as to forget to ask her name? He had to be off her potential mate list just for that... "W-What's your name?

The slender hand came away from her mouth and she raised her eyebrows, mouth a thin line. "Are you asking just to get the dessert?"

As Aylmer stuttered for an answer, Matron slapped the table, shrieking with laughter. "Girl, you've got bite. You'll do good around this wolf, that you will."

Aylmer finally found his voice. "N-No! I-If you want me to give up the dessert I will! But please, what's your name?"

The girl laughed again, her voice dancing through his mind. "You don't need to do that! Just split it with me." Her hand brushed over his gently, like a spring breeze, and Aylmer felt his tail start a small whirlwind behind him. He was glad they were sitting on opposite sides of the table, the girl couldn't see. She returned her hands to her lap. "I'm Ayala."

"Ayala..." He said, rolling the name across his tongue. He loved how it felt, how it sounded..."It's a beautiful name." He flashed his best grin at her, giving himself a mental high-five as she blushed and looked away. Maybe he still had a chance. "Now, would you like that dessert, Ayala?"

As she opened her mouth, the door to the tavern swung open and Dylan stepped in and looked around. His arm was in a sling, but he looked fine otherwise as he scanned the room. Cedric laid his ears back and growled. "He's supposed to be resting..." He muttered darkly. The guard captain laid a paw on his shoulder to calm him down. Aylmer shrugged it off. "I won't kill him, Thrunor, don't worry. But he better have a good reason to disobey my orders."

Dylan spotted the Prince, his ears falling back and tail slipping between his legs at the look of retrained fury on Aylmer's muzzle. Walking over quickly, he snapped to attention--as well as he could with one arm in a sling--and fixed his eyes on some point above the wolf's head.

"Sir, I have come to inform you that the Ambassador has docked in the harbor. A messenger just came to the mayor's mansion to let him know. I thought it would be beneficial for your Highness to know as well, so since I was the only part of your guard left behind, I came to tell you. I am aware that I disobeyed your direct orders and am willing to take any punishment your Highness sees fit to give me."

Aylmer sighed, "You did well, Dylan, you did well. I suppose it would be a severe breach in etiquette to not greet them, and I'd rather not have the Lord and Lady Sibbald riding my back for the next month, so let's get down there before they make it too far." He turned his head, looking thoughtful. "On the other paw, I'm not planning on marrying whoever Father has picked out for me, so why not let them bumble around for a day or two?"

"Perhaps because his Majesty doesn't want the Sibbalds giving him mandatory etiquette classes for the next month?" Thrunor said softly.

Aylmer nodded, "Right."

"Your Highness?" Ayala said, confused.

The wolf blushed, and Matron glared at him again. "M'Lord, if you're gonna have some poor girl follow you around, you need to let her know what she's getting into. She doesn't know that you're the Prince, and now apparently you're engaged."

Aylmer waved a paw dismissively. "According to my father I am. I'm not going along with it though. I'll marry who I want, when I want." He glanced over at Ayala and then away as he met her gaze. "And I know who I want." He muttered softly.

Matron perked her ears. "What was that, M'Lord?"

He stood up. "Nothing important." He turned to Ayala. "Will you come with me, M'lady?"

Ayala bit her lip. "I wouldn't want to intrude when you meet your future mate..." She murmured, looking away.

The wolf seized her hand. As he held it, he marveled at how smooth it felt, how slender and delicate. "I already said I'm not marrying her." He brought it up to his muzzle and brushed his nose across it. "I'll marry who I want, not who my father says I should."

Ayala met his eyes, her own filled with a strange mix of happiness, longing, and sorrow. "I'm the same as you." She whispered. "My father has already chosen my husband, and he will entertain no other. So if it is me you are thinking of," she withdrew her hand from his grasp, "I ask that you lay the thought aside. I am already spoken for."

Aylmer groped after her retreating hand for a moment, then paused, resting his paw in the middle of the table, within easy reach. "Have you met this man?" He asked, straining to keep a whimper out of his voice.

"No, but I have confidence that my father has chosen wisely, at least in his eyes."

The paw at the middle of the table opened in a entreating manner. "If you decide to stay with me, know that I will do everything in my power to keep you with me for as long as you desire it." He paused a moment, but when no reply was offered, he stood up. "Let us go meet the Ambassador, then."

The girl stayed seated as they made their way to the door. Matron hovered at her shoulder. "How do you plan to get home? There are many bandits on the roads about this town. Even Daryl there, in the Prince's very guard, was shot on the way here."

A sigh followed her words. "No road can lead me to where my home is." Ayala said. Matron had to wonder if the words didn't just refer to a house.

She rubbed the girl's shoulders. "You know, if the Prince is anything like Lord Cedric, he would move the earth itself to be with you if you made your desires known."

Ayala chuckled wryly. "And my father would no doubt put it back again to keep him away. I can't imagine the uproar that would cause in the temples back home. Marrying a non-human? It must be the very pinnacle of debauchery to them."

Matron watched the last of the Prince's guard exit her tavern. "Are you going to follow them?"

"Would you keep me on if I decided I'd rather stay?"

The doe considered the proposition for a moment, then nodded. "That I will. You can sleep in the room next to mine, and you can eat here as well, on one condition."

"What's that?"

"You help me out around the tavern."

Ayala glanced around the tavern at the rowdy males that crowded it, most of them much bigger than her. Biting her lip, she nodded uncertainly. "Agreed."

Matron bounced up onto the table. "Listen up!" She shouted over the crowd. The noise continued for a few moments, but when those around noticed that Matron was waiting to speak with them, they fell silent. The few who continued to talk were quickly nudged into silence.

Matron smiled. "Thank you." She gestured to the nervous girl still seated at the table. "This is Ayala. She is my newest employee. I expect you all to treat her the same as you would me. Don't allow anyone to harass her, and don't flirt with her either. She's already spoken for."

"By who?" Came the call from the far corner of the tavern.

"Gren," Matron said in a slightly exasperated tone, "don't even think about it. She spoken for by the Prince, and I don't think even you can best him."

"But i'm not-" Ayala began.

"Hush girl." Matron cut her off. "I don't count a piece of parchment signed with a father's signature as a lady being spoken for. I only trust the words of the male himself." She jumped down from the table. "Now, let's go show you the kitchen."

Aylmer couldn't stop looking over his shoulder, wondering why Ayala hadn't followed them. Had it been something he said? He ran over his words. They seemed like nothing that would offend, and her scent had told him that she was definitely interested in him, so why did she stay behind and refuse his paw?

"Sir, you don't need to worry. Matron'll take care of her."

Aylmer looked over at Dylan, "I know, it's just..."

The mutt chuckled. "You can go back later to check on her, Sir."

He fell silent, hoping that she would still be there when he returned. He took a couple deep breaths as his swordmaster had taught him, calming himself. It wouldn't do to meet the Ambassador all tense like this, they would sense it right away. He didn't need to start out on the wrong paw here. Pushing his thoughts of Ayala aside, he focused on what he knew of the foreigners. He snorted at the pitiful amount it was. All his father had told him was that they were coming to set up trade relations with their kingdom, but that was before he knew about his arranged mateship to whoever his father had chosen. He wouldn't be surprised if the trade relations were just a result of the union and the ambassador had just come to see them joined.

He growled slightly. This had to be the worst joke his father had pulled on him yet. To not tell him of the impending marriage until now, and then to not even tell him the name of his arranged mate...It brought him to a whole new low. Hells, he didn't even know if his mate was canine or not, although he hoped his father wouldn't go that far. Although...He paused in his walking, thinking over all the things his father had done over the years. Growling, he started forward again. He wouldn't get his hopes up. If it was beneficial to the kingdom, his father would mate him to anyone.

Within a few minutes, they were at the docks. Prince Aylmer looked around, gathering all the training he had been given his entire life in an effort to look as impressive as he could. These people would go along with him easier if he could make them uncomfortable enough. From one ship near the middle of the docks he saw a regal-looking procession making its way down to the docks. The Mayor was there as well, his antlers hung with gold chains. Making his way over, Aylmer stood beside him and examined the ship. It was a medium-sized vessel, with the name Dawning Time engraved on the bow, inlaid with gold. Aylmer had to admit that is was an impressive ship.

"The Ambassador has not appeared yet, sir." The Mayor said, "It is good that you were able to make it in time."

The guards that had filed down from the ship were now standing to either side of the ramp that ran up to it, swords held in a salute. Aylmer was unable to figure out the species of the ambassador by the guards as they varied greatly, although he did notice an absent of canines. He only had a moment to wonder about this before two figure appeared at the top of the ramp and made his heart sink.

'Hells, Father, you are going to kill me if you keep this up!' Why did it have to be a cat? He couldn't stand cats. Always so prim and proper and full of themselves, they made him sick. If he had any other allergies, he say he had one to cats as well. And his father wanted him to mate with one? Spend his life with one of these stuck-up hissing demons?

It took all of his self-discipline not to turn and walk away then and there, but he was able to control his movement. He couldn't say the same for his face though. He was sure that he looked like he had swallowed a bug, but he couldn't do anything about that. The felines descended to the dock, the male hanging slightly behind the female. It was obvious that even if the male was the Ambassador, he also deferred to the female.

She walked down the aisle of guards and stopped a short distance away from the stag and the wolf, dropping a low curtsey. The male stepped out from behind her and bowed. "I thank you for the privilege of docking in your harbor, good sirs, and I hope that there is someone who can be spared to show our servants where to put our cases?

The stag nodded. "Yes, Ambassador, we do. He motioned to one of his surrounding entourage, "See that their possessions get to the correct places."

The fawn nodded, "Yes, sir."

The female rose from her curtsey and looked Aylmer over. He suppressed a growl as he felt how her eyes judged him, finding him...tolerable. "And are you the Prince?"

He ground his teeth. "You were told of the contract our parents made? I must confess, I was only told of it a short while ago, and then only part of it. We have much to discuss before we can go any further."

The feline smiled slightly. "Why, of course. We don't want to just rush into things, no matter how inevitable the outcome is."

Aylmer grunted. "Indeed." Flicking his tail, he nodded as amiably as he could. "Well, I'm sure that you need to get used to being on land again, as your journey must've been long, and I know cats aren't fond of water." He grinned inwardly as the glint in the cat's eyes showed that she recognized his jab. "So I will escort you to the Mayor manor, where I, as well as you, am staying. There I will leave you to get settled, and we will dine together tonight. I'm sure we can discuss the full terms of the contract then."

The cat smiled, "That will be fine, M'lord."

"M'lord!"

Aylmer stiffened at the sound of the voice. Taking a deep breath, he turned to the new arrivals, praying to every god he knew of to help him keep from blowing up. "Lord Sibbald, you're late. How plea-...upsetting. What happened to delay you so?"

Aylmer could tell from the wolf's eyes that the reason they were late was that they had been looking for him, but he was too steeped in diplomacy to say that out loud. "We had trouble finding the final member of our party. We did find him eventually, he is at the manor serving his punishment." The Lord's grin was fiendish, although it was subtle enough that Aylmer didn't think that the felines noticed. Cross-species emotions were harder to detect, at least until one was used to them. He hoped to get used to the human ones soon, despite their difficulty. How could they convey emotions without ears and a tail anyway?

Realizing his mind was wandering, the Prince brought it back to the present conversation. He ran the Lord's last sentence through his mind again, and he glanced around those present. His anger flared when he couldn't find Becan. If they had done anything to the pup...He growled softly. He'd find out soon enough, and then fur would fly. He'd assign the pup to his guard squad if necessary. But most of all, he'd make sure that the Sibbalds paid for hurting him.

Lady Sibbald addressed the feline. "M'lady, I trust you had a safe voyage over? It's a dreadfully long way."

"Oh, yes." The feline purred. "But aside from a few minor squalls we didn't run into anything serious. Haveral here was seasick for the beginning, but he got over it. I trust that you have your copy of the contract, Prince?"

Aylmer started at being so suddenly addressed. "Uh, pardon me, will you repeat that? I was thinking."

The feline rolled her eyes, tail flicking behind her. "Do you have your copy of the contract our fathers made? The entire reason I came all this way?" She took a deep breath. "Honestly, I think he's dim even for a wolf." She muttered to herself, not knowing that Aylmer's sharp ears caught her words.

Holding back his growl, Aylmer turned to Lord Sibbald. "I was not given any contract, so unless Lord Sibbald has it, you seem to have come here for nothing." He tried not to get his hopes up, it was unlikely that the Sibbalds would've forgotten something so vital to diplomatic relations with another kingdom.

And he was proven correct. "I have it right here." The small wolf said, pulling a roll of parchment from his robe. It was sealed with wax, and stamped with a signet ring, although Aylmer was too far away to see the design, he was sure it was the King's.

"Good!" The feline replied. "Shall we go to the Manor then, Prince Aylmer?"

Aylmer watched her turn and walk away, only then noticing that she had never given him her name. "Wait, Lady!" He called after her. She took a couple of steps before stopping and looking over her shoulder.

"What?"

"You neglected to give me your name."

"Oh." She turned towards him and dropped a short curtsey. "Forgive me, it's Princess Mara." She quickly stood and began walking away again.

Aylmer thought that the dinner was both delicious and uncomfortable. The food was delectable, but the company...well, eating with the Sibbalds was never a nice experience, as they were always talking about politics or the latest court gossip, and then adding into a princess from another kingdom, and that resulted in two sets of court gossip to go over. Aylmer could barely stomach his food, and actually skipped dessert. He didn't think he could handle any sweets with all the snide jabs being made at the fashions of different Lords and Ladies about the court.

Excusing himself, he left the three of them to gossip. Making his way out of the dining room, he was halfway to his rooms before he remembered Lord Sibbald's comment. His breath caught and his eyes went wide. How could he forget? Becan probably had suffered a couple hours more than he had too because he had forgotten. Rushing outside, he grabbed the nearest one of his servants he could find.

"Where's Becan?" He snarled in the dog's face.

The dog stammered that he hadn't seen him, but he had heard that Lord Sibbald had sent him to clean out the soldier's barracks in the Port. Aylmer growled and tossed the dog aside, dashing out the gate. He didn't have time to bother with horses. Thrunor was sitting outside, leaning against the wall as he smoked his pipe. He gave a shout of alarm as he saw Aylmer dashing down the path to the port, eyes flashing with rage. Running over to the gate, he poked his head into the courtyard.

"Boys! Get a move on! Th' Prince 'as gone a' stomin'!"

The guards in earshot dropped what they were doing, Rorc even spilling the water that he was taking to their horses, and dashed out the gate.

Aylmer felt around his belt without breaking his run as he neared the guard barracks. He growled as he fingered the handle of the dagger he found there. If they were hurting the pup, he wouldn't hesitate to use it on them. He could hear a commotion in the barracks now, someone was shouting angrily. He couldn't make out the words, but he could hear a younger voice replying. The voice was Becan's, and Aylmer could just barely make out what he was saying.

"I-I'm sorry, sir! It was a-an accident, h-honest!" There was a sharp yelp, and the voice stopped.

Aylmer redoubled his pace, covering the remaining distance in a few seconds and slamming shoulder-first into the door. The wood, not meant to withstand the force that the bulky wolf could exert, splintered at the latch and the door flew open to crash against the stone wall of the barracks. Aylmer's eyes immediately focused on two figures on the opposite side of the room. One was a bull, who was looking back at the newcomer in surprise. One of his arms was raised, and the huge meaty hand at it's end was holding a much smaller wolf pup to the wall of the barracks by his neck. The front of the Bull's shirt was wet, and he was holding an empty mug in the other hand.

Becan was bleeding from a cut over his eye. His ears were back, and his eyes were scrunched shut. His hind paws were curled up towards his stomach, and a puddle of liquid was pooling at his feet. The sharp tang of urine assaulted Aylmer's nostrils, and the front of Becan's pants were wet with it.

Aylmer shot across the room and slammed into the bull, pushing him aside and catching the pup as he fell. Heedless of the fact that the Becan's wet clothes were staining his fur, Aylmer held the pup close, dagger out and pointed at the Bull.

"You put a paw near him again, and I'll kill you." He snarled, fangs bared and glinting in the torchlight.

The bull started forward, but before he could take more than a couple steps, Captain Thrunor had slid between him and the wolf, blade up and pointed between his eyes. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." The canine growled, "Laying a paw on your Prince is called treason."

Swallowing his rage and stepping back, the bull nodded. "Yes, sir." Turning, he walked out of the barracks. Thrunor turned to his charge and the pup.

"Is he alright, sir?"

Aylmer didn't look up, but continued to pat the crying pup on the back softly. Becan had his muzzle buried in his shoulder, arms wrapped around his neck, and the rest of him cradled in the larger wolf's arms. He sobbed softly as his paw clutched at Aylmer's fur.

"He has a couple cuts and bruises, and he's scared out of his mind, but he'll be fine. I'm reassigning him to your squad, Thrunor. He'll help you and your men with whatever they need, but he's going to stay near me at all times." He looked down at the pup. "Does that sound good to you, Becan?"

The pup pulled his muzzle out of the crook of Aylmer's neck just long enough to glance at Thrunor before ducking back down again with a terrified whimper. "I-If you s-say so, s-sir."

Aylmer held him a little tighter. "Don't worry, I'll be right there with you. You don't need to worry."

Aylmer had carried the pup all the way back to the manor, glaring at Lord Sibbald as he passed him in the corridor on the way to his rooms. He had opened the door to the room, one of his guards sweeping in to do a quick check of the room, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Striding through the room, he walked into the attached bathroom and opened the valve to fill the tub with water. His room was one of the few in the Mayor's house that drew water from the tank on the roof, and he was rather grateful for it at the moment. Lighting a small fire underneath the tub, he let it heat as he pulled the wet clothes off the pup. The young wolf shivered slightly, but held still as his large paws teased the wet fabric off his legs.

"Are you taking a bath too, sir?"

Aylmer was startled at the question. He hadn't planned on it, but then again, he had been carrying the pup. No doubt the smell of the pup's urine had soaked into his fur. He smiled down at Becan. "Do you want me to?"

The wolf's tail slipped between his legs. "I...I don't want to be alone."

"Then I suppose I'll have to keep you company." Aylmer said as he untied his pants.

He regretted his choice of words almost immediately as the pup's ears flattened and he whined. "Don't do it if you don't want to, Sir. I wouldn't want to make you do something that you don't want to..."

The larger wolf kicked his pants aside, reaching over to test the water temperature. "Don't fret, Becan, I want to." Becan visibly relaxed, and Aylmer scraped the coals out from under the tub, keeping them in their trench. "The water's nice and warm now." He slid into the water, some slopping over the side to hiss on the hot coals. Picking Becan up, he set the pup down in the water as well. Leaning over the side, he picked up a bar of soap. "Now, let's see if we can get you clean."

The pup yipped and yapped as he scrubbed him down, making sure not to miss a single spot. It was likely that this was the first time that the pup had had a bath with only one other person, but also probably the first time that the space had been so small. There were set times at the palace when the servants could bathe, but then even the spacious baths there were crowded, as all the servants wanted to get as much time in as possible.

They didn't spend too much time in the bath, just long enough for them both to scrub up properly and get clean. Aylmer took the liberty of toweling Becan off, and the pup helped him afterwards. It had gotten dark, and Aylmer was disappointed that he hadn't been able to get everything straightened out with his 'mate' tonight, but he supposed that he could to it tomorrow.

As he made his way to the bed, he felt a light tug on his tail. Turning, he cocked an ear at Becan. "Yes?"

The pup looked down at the floor and scuffed a footpaw, obviously embarrassed. "Um, sir, uh...can...can I sleep with you tonight?" He glanced up, his eyes sparkling with tears. "I don't want them to come back and get me!"

Aylmer crouched and pulled him into a hug. "Sure you can." Standing up, he kept the pup's paw in his own, completely enveloping it. "Let's go, alright?"