FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

This is my first attempt to write in the first person, it is something that is outside my normal comfort zone, so I hope I have stayed consistent in the voice. I plan to write more and add to this as time permits me. This is a revised draft that has not been properly proof read so there are bound to be some spelling and grammatical errors, which may get fixed down the road but more likely not. Specific comments and critiques are welcomed as they help me in knowing how well I have done and in which parts. Enjoy.

"And this here is called the falling sky fungus." Ra'shavis Alos said holding up a small plum sized tri-lobed blue-gray fungus. "Crush a dozen of these and add them to a cheesecloth bag, then seep in 4 gallons of water for three days and you will achieve the rich deep sky blue color." He continued as I his son Tal'keelis listened on with less than rapt attention.

"Of course" I though looking around the room of the family textile store. Fabrics of every color and hue hung in made of various materials, types and weaves. Cloths of cotton, wools, and silk as well as smaller amounts of ramie, jute, and flax, all carefully hung or folded on the racks of the store. Beyond their simplest form, well stocked bolts and reels of satin, velour, velvet and its cheaper cousin velveteen, lace, and even the course fabrics like wadmal found their place upon the racks and shelves. Among these already numerous fabrics were several types of hides and leathers. While such things were cruder than the processed textiles the higher end furs and leather were a valuable and well sought after commodity, that much like the more numerous fabrics here could be dyed. Inside my father's store there are more bolts of cloth in his one shop than in the rest of the village and the next two combined.

The next thing he will say is that the "cloth must be soaked for 18 hours for cotton and other plant fabrics, 32 hours for wools and 48 for silks" I thought to myself.

"Now Tal " my father started "you must pay close attention to the times that you allow the cloths to soak, cottons being the most readily to take to this dye and thus requires a soaking of only 18 hours to achieve a marvelous blue color that cannot be imagined by any other substance north of the great river of Greywater and indeed even further south few dyes can compete with its splendor. Now how long must wools and silks be soaked to achieve the full color Tal? He asked me with an expectant air in his voice.

"32 and 48 hours father" I replied "We have had this talk at least a dozen times father and I am no longer a boy that must consistently be reminded of these things" I relied wearily.

Of a truth I would much rather be out in the market than inside taking stock of inventory with my father. But seeing as the caravans from the western mountains would shortly come to town with their stocks of wool ready to trade, taking inventory and talking of these things was needed, I guess. Also of course would be several dyes that grow only in the high wet mountain region of the west, including the falling sky fungus known only to a handful of people as producing the deep sky blue dye that has in the past 10 years become a symbol of power in the region. Each of these types of dyes we would acquire and use to greatly increase the value of the fabrics that are purchased from more local merchants and villagers. The discovery of the dye coincided with the rise in status of Green Briar Mercantile of which Ra'shavis Alos, my father, was the proud owner.

He was born the son of a poor farmer in the region, his father and my grandfather who was a refugee to this region driven off his land in the far northwest by the night of fire. My father had managed with his cunning to gain a small initial investment from a wealthy merchant which allowed him to open a drapers stand in the town market. Since then he has managed to monopolize the entire town's mercantile driving out his competitors with a business savvy eye to buying and selling fabrics and the dyes that made them so desirable. The feat alone giving him a great reputation in the area.

Still the town was by no means a city and while renown in the region he still was unheard of in the larger cities to the south, where the real wealth flowed like water in the many rives in that land. Ships from the outer seas and merchants of all lands congregated in those cities ruled by the so called Hawk emperor. A dozen large cities, 50 smaller towns and hundreds of villages were all under his rule. He having been able to form a collation of local lords and with mercenaries built the first Empire on the southern continent in over 200 years.

In 40 shot years he transformed the region to a capital of enterprise and his mercenaries to a formidable army. It is often spoken that all the world will some day be swollen up in the Hawks rule. Neighboring kingdoms and city states give the Hawks their due respect but kept a weary eye out for any signs of expansion. But for the past dozen years there had been peace in all the lands, which as it happens is a very good thing for a clothier. In times of war, coin shift from fine silks to fine armor and swords.

"I know you are Tal" Ra'shavis replied snapping me out of my thoughts" but it this dye alone that is bring in a fifth of our profits and we must make well sure that we continue our excellent work in them so that the nobility never look elsewhere. I know that you would rather travel then be chained to our shop here but the spring caravans are coming and I need your help to keep the shop while I negotiate the next orders from them and determine the amounts needed to be sent to the far towns and villages. When mid summer comes you can makes the trade route to the northern villages and to Greatwood city."

"I know father but that does little to sate me now. Perhaps I could instead travel to the northern bounds of Hawk kingdom and try our wears there? We have yet to reach into the area and the northern villages and towns have grown rich from the protection the Hawk provides them. It would be simple to take a cart there and return with a chest of Gold. I'm sure they have nothing as fine as the wares we possess."

Not so my son." Ra'shavis replied with a heavy voice. " They have skilled merchants of all types there and exotic good from the burning lands and distant isles, they would not be so overly interested in our wears that would readily part with their gold easily as you suggest. Additionally I do not wish to deal with the Hawk and his tariffs, to those in the Kingdom goods flow freely but to those outside it they come with a much larger price and the Hawk takes a large share of all we would make. And besides if we gain a reputation for working with the Hawk, many in the north will find us less appealing to deal with. The independent types in these lands find little joy working with friends of the Hawk. For myself if the Hawk conquers these lands, so be it and if he does not, so be it. There is profit for us in either case, so long as the Hawks conquest comes quickly that is. However a cloth merchant must work within the sphere of the rulers where he abides " Ra'shavis said.

Well in both our minds was the Hawk's conquest of the Greywater kingdom that now marks the northern border of the Hawk's lands. The capital city was besieged for 2 years before it fell and was razed to the ground so that no living man calls it home to this day. The Hawk in turned decided that that campaign along with the patrols in the area marked the extent of which he thought would be profitable to the kingdom. The wild lands of the north held a single city in the far north, to the east of Greatwood city are the Charing's underground cities and the fire worshipers in the even more distant northeast. To put all the land in between under rule and then pay for protection would well exceed the tax revenue that they could provide. So the wilds lands remained wild, a collection of a few small states of towns and villages and an untold number of smaller villages nestled in wooded lands, high mountains, vast plains and reclusive valleys that define the wild lands.

To the outside word such a area seemed primitive, even though they lacked few things found in the great cities in the south due to adventurous merchants. That being besides warm baths and expensive foreign weapons, and wooden machines for building their large stone buildings. To the merchant's eye however these small towns provided them a tidy source of wealth that depended almost exclusively on how well a merchant knew the land, and my father knows the land and its people.

My father just no longer remembers what it is to be young again." I though to my self." No, perhaps he never did, being born so humbly all he has ever dreamed of is wealth and me having it all, I think nothing of it. I would rather travel and see the world, there has to be plenty of things I can find in the far corners of the world to trade and make a profit from trading between distnaces, so why not go out and try.

Father is not yet old I'd give him a good dozen years before old age sets in and he actually needs someone to run the store until then I should gain as much experience as I can. I know the textile markets as well as my father and if I did not he surely will be going over all the fine points with me again later today.

"It seems time has slipped by us while I was teaching you again Tal," father said "I am needed to sit in council at the town hall this afternoon. Please watch the store while I am away finish checking the dye stocks from the northern lands. Business should only talk an hour or two this day, you may go and do as you please upon my return."

"As you say father" I replied. His words doing little to shake me these idle thoughts in my head of distant lands and the far kingdoms. We had taken stock not three days ago and I can see little need to stay inside and recount them.

After 20 or so minutes had past, I left the two story house that served as our home and store. The building had our store on the first floor taking up the front half of the building it was a single large room, with our wares proudly displayed. Not a bit of the vertical plank wood walls were left uncovered, every table and display and shelve within was covered with fabrics. To the commoner such a variety of colors and cloths was mesmerizing, making easy to judge the weight of a person's coin purse when they entered. The back half of the first floor being the kitchen and storage for surplus finished good.

There was a stone wall basement, where we made the dyes and dyed the fabrics, upon the smooth large stones of the basement were many pole used to hang drying fabrics. Here we also stored the raw un-dyed fabrics. It was also a large open area being completely open with 5 large support beams being the only thing that broke up the space.

Upstairs were our personal rooms, guest rooms, my father's study and our vault which safeguarded our gold and most precious wares. In all 6 rooms split on either side of a single hallway, finely decorated with our own wares as well as well crafted furniture, vases, and tapestries. My father was not one who wished to be mistaken for anyone but who and what he was: a rich cloth merchant. My own room contained little more than what was essential, I preferred to spend my time outdoors than idly lounging indoors.

A four post bed of redwood, wardrobe, dresser and two large chests of the same wood adorned my room. A single painting of the northwest plains hung on my wall, a painting my father commissioned for my grandfather shortly after he purchased this house. Amber-gold fields with the northern mountains framing them. The sky of the painting was slightly overcast with the hues of a spring dawn. A single man standing in the center facing into the painting so that you cannot see his face was all that the painting contained. It was one that invited a person inside it, it seemed to wrap around you the moor you looked at it and ever since I was a child I liked it. When my grandfather and grandmother passed away I had asked my father for it and seeing as I had the same habit of staring at it in thought for great lengths of time, he happily did so.

The outside of the building was painted yellow with blue trim between the levels and on the shutters and large beams. A large carved sign of the same colors hung above the front door With the letters GBM. In a town of buildings of brown, red and white it was utterly unmistakable, the finest looking even if its not the largest building in town. As I turned from looking over my home, a caravan of 3 Gre'nahk wagons had come into view.

The Gre'nahk the people of the town directly to the south were a beast race native to the northern continent. They lived mostly in small villages on the borders of the woods and the Gre'nahk of Hather were little different form their brethren scattered across the region save that Hather was by far their largest settlement being close to 3000 people. And this caravan looked to be about 18 of their elders and other of importance judging from their dress.

They wore the loose patterned silk robes that stretched down a bit below their knees the robe being held shut by three buttons on the top front shoulder moving down in a row across the heart and a sash around the waist. You could tell a Gre'nahk's wealth by the robes they wore as well as which clan they belonged to. I smiled as they came seeing that they almost exclusively wore garments purchased from Green Briar. As long as people feel that they must use clothing as a status symbol business would be good.

The Gre'nahk themselves being covered in a short soft two layered fur, the outer layer of which shimmered a bit as it could repel water. The hairs of the outer coat being much thicker and visibly rounded.

I had the displeasure of having a hunter come in once to sell a fur that they claimed was a rare type of tueron, a mountain-plain dwelling grazer. I having been raised around all types of fabrics and furs knew immediately what it was. I bought the fur then alerted a member of the town watch, last I saw of the man was him and the fur being escorted to Hather. Myself pocketing a few of his silvers for my good deed in turning him in.

Overall the Gre'nahk are said to be vulpine like, I do not see them like that. Their muzzle is to short extending perhaps only 2 inches from their face. The ears being set more to the side than the top of the head they hold a shape like a slender triangle and are quite flexible and expressive. Directly up from the eyes a bit above where a human's hairline would begin they have two small horns. For the females they are little more than stubs never reaching over two inches in length and being perhaps ¾ inches in diameter. On the male the horns grow taller and split into two tines, a shorter front point that is straight up from the base and the second point curves to the outside of the head and rises above the other point. Still even the male's horns are nothing much I haven't heard of one having horns longer than 18 inches and most adult males having them be around 12. Behind the horns is where the longer fur or hair starts growing for them, it seems to reach a maximum length of around 14 inches, unlike a humans which never stops growing so I guess it is a fur then as well.

Gre'nahk hands are close to that of a humans having bare skin on the underside and a very shortly furred back. Their four fingers are tipped with a small hooked claw that rests above a second fingernail. When flexed the claw will move over and lock into place in front of the nail, allowing them to be both dexterous and deadly unarmed. It is the perhaps the only part of their anatomy that I am jealous of.

Their feet are like a mans in shape save the heel rises up above the ground a bit and does not normally strike the ground when they move. The feet are large with four clawed toes the front being wider than the heel. This makes them have a walk very similar to humans but when they run they will bend over much farther than a human, occasionally using a hand to strike the ground as well.

Perhaps why people think they look vulpine is their fur pattern and tail. The tail hangs down and curves back skyward as it reaching the ground. The tip nearly always being white while the rest being the base fur color. They were all solidly colored in warm hues mostly, having white under the muzzle and down the front. Their hand and feet often also ending in white fur, but I have seen them solidly colored as well. Oh, and they also have a large tuff of longer fur at the base of the neck that extends down the chest a bit, that seems to be the around an inch or two longer than the other fur on their bodies.

Curiously enough looking at the caravan however was the absence of any visible goods to trade, so instead they must be here to establish some sort of deal. A common enough thing but rarely done in late spring as it was now, the start and end of the growing seasons is where those type of deals were usually made. I then saw as the last cart passed by a single female within. Unusual since female Gre'nahk do not own property or good of their own they are almost like a good themselves to their mates.

Not that I had much interest in the customs of the beast races but as they are valuable trade partners I had to have these things included in my education. This particular girl wore a rather elegant red and gold rode patterned with sunflowers like plant. A sure sign that she was of the Shifting Sand clan, and with her golden fur and green eyes left little reason to doubt it. The Shifting Sand are the old rulers of the Gre'nahk it was their clan's influence that caused Hather to become the town it is and even Green Briar owes most of its growth to the Shifting Sand clan.

They once controlled all the Gre'nahk people in a coalition that established the Gre'nahk as a race to be reckoned with a first among the beast races in the north. The clan however could not sustain the coalition after the death of the founder and slowly the prestige of the clan fell until they became ordinary nobles, one of the 6 clans that jointly ruled Hather.

The female herself was not unattractive despite her alien features, she still had the right curves in the right places from what I could tell at least the robes they wear hide their form well. From my less then perfect view at the store, I could make out her large ears set low and swept back a sign of submission and the slim shapely curves of her maw back a few inches to her face, which in turn curved up a little to her short inch long horns. With her face down and a sad look upon her face she certainly was not doing herself any favors in making herself becoming.

But as Gre'nahk females are married off in arranged marriages I guess she really didn't have a need to, its something that her father or grandfather would arranged. So I had to wonder if the goods this caravan came to sell was in fact her. I've heard that clans eager to prove their status and success will pay huge dowries for Shifting Sand females, as a connection to the peak of the Gre'nahk. Besides being down on their luck many of the Shifting Sand still are considered, with their golden coats an overly long tails to be the apex of beauty.

So a young male Gre'nahk with a Shifting Sand mate has himself the symbols of power within the race, the trophy is a name and a pretty face not that unlike the marriages of some human nobles. That type of thing however would not go down well here in the human villages of the wilds, and they should know that slavery was forbidden in the wild lands and both sexes are treated with respect. The Gre'nahk are the only race in the northern lands that treated the sexes differently.

The respect given to all sentient people in the wilds, much of which if forgotten in the southern kingdoms, has always been a source of pride for us wilders. Now slavery and arranged marriages may exist in this land but it dose mean that a wealthy person of this town would be committing business suicide to engage in such a deal. That type of thing just cannot be hid in a town of 4500. The elders of Hather would know this, so why would they even bother to do such a thing?

Perhaps she's just there as a companion to one of the males or a serving girl I continued to think but in my heart I felt that this was not so. So I started walking to the town hall where the Gre'nahk were headed. I honestly don't know why I decided to go, this female meant nothing to me and while I have always felt a strong sense of freedom like my fellow wilders, but to force those ideas upon others is frankly beyond my courage.

The Gre'nahk are not humans, and do not share all the same ideals as humans. Those of the wild lands look to their neighbor races more like colorful relatives than strange species. Our attitude has allowed us to live in relative peace for hundreds of years in a region where as many eight races may live in a single community. In the whole of the world I can think of no place that can make half the claim to racial peace that we can. So I suppose the city council may in fact approve of selling a Shifting Sand female to someone in the town

Rule of the wilds #1 all rules are relative. Give and take, let some things go to take a bit more some place else. So, I am taking a look at these Gre'nahk and their plans in Green Briar while the store will take a hit of a few lost silvers in sales while I'm out. I'm sure father will be a bit miffed if he found out but as long as he doesn't see me at the town hall, there's no harm done.

"Tal!" a strong voice called from behind me as I am made my way into the town square. Turning I'm greeted by a tall stout man with a large smile, a tall stout man who had a pair or large ivory curved horns extending 18 inches from the top of his head complete with large black nostrils and hooves: a Rugesh the ox-men of the northern plains. Jannis, one of the blacksmiths in town and one of 6 Rugesh that call Green Briar home.

"You saw the Gre'nahk caravan come to town I take it, Tal?"

"I did Jannis I take it they are not here to renegotiate the winter fur sales, with such empty carts."

"Perhaps they are here to take them back because they feel cheated. Sometimes these merchants push too hard and hurt feeling and hurt pride. Hurt a Gre'nahks pride and you hurt him good and for your business my young friend you'll hurt your pocket book."

For a merchant to cheat merchant of a neighboring town was a serious offence that could easily escalate into a full on trade war, embargo or even a war between the towns. So in these instances representatives from one town would go straight unto the leaders of the others before violence became of it. The offending merchant if they are found to be guilty would be required to repay the difference in goods as well as a penalty to the offended party and again to each town for having to mediate the dispute.

All told the cost to a merchant would be near ruinous and even after the initial hit to his pocketbook his reputation would make continuing his business difficult. Such things should be well avoided. Even though a mercantile store like my fathers worked with more fixed prices than many merchants in the region due to the large volume we move there is still much to be lost if one of our raw material merchants feels they have been cheated. Few things strike more fear into merchants in the region then making such a deal.

"Jannis my friend joking like that is not good for a merchants heart." I laughed

"But you are no merchant, your heart is far too wild, like the Rugesh you are a wandering soul, concerned more with surroundings than possessions". Jannis replied with his large smile.

"You talk too loud if my father were to hear you I would be subject to another one of his lectures on the virtues of mercantile, and would be forced to have you wife tend to my stiff neck and shoulders after it." I replied with a smile.

"You wish my wife to "tend" your aches then young friend?" Jannis said with a large smile.

Jannis's wife being a Rugesh healer well regarded for her miraculous ability to cure muscle aches and pains. Her poultices' and oils coupled with her strong soft hands make the most grizzled man melt away. Such skill has certainly given her a reputation and more then a few interesting offers of various natures.

She always turns such strange requests down but Jannis always seems to be more than willing to allow her to roam. I guess that is the love and faith one has in their mate that makes such things as sex with others seem trivial. Jannis is sure in his mateship and seems to see no reason why a few extra coin cannot be made off the skill of his wife if she wishes it.

My self, I wonder who is interested in such a thing. Jannis stands well over 7 feet tall and his wife stands not a head below him, with the same stout features that characterized the Rugesh race. Such a species certainly do not have the right curves in the right places for me to have any interest in their kind. Besides which when I think to the future I think of myself as a father and humans cannot breed outside our own race unlike the beast kinds which interbred freely, the children always taking the forms of their mothers.

Realizing I had once again let my though linger into an unnatural silence I quickly reply to Jannis "Yet the uses of coin can equal and exceed those of surroundings. It is why all those in the villages around us come here to trade." I abruptly changed the topic back to a more appropriate course, even though I'm sure I look flustered

"True enough, I say there is no returning to the noble ways of my ancestors to be free and roam these plains." Jannis relied with a bit of a frown.

"Haha, Jannis if you return to those ways you would miss you wife's cooking and have naught but wild grasses and plants for your supper and I doubt your belly would be half as round and full as it is"

"True, my young friend true. It seems by the noise of things that the discussions have started in earnest you had best slip inside if you wish to hear the proceeding and I had best set my tail back towards my craft if I am to have my round belly full this evening. My wife will not be so lenient on me if she finds I am letting my orders go unfilled again." Jannis spoke with a large toothy grin before making on his way towards his forge without a word of passing as the Rugesh custom goes.

The crazy notion enters my head as I deftly pull open the town hall doors and slip inside, that I would be craving such light hearted conversations come the evening. I have never like ominous feeling and yet here I am fretting over a feeling of doom form a group of Gre'nahk.

The interior of the town hall was packed with other curious town peoples while the Gre'nahk and Green Briar council were at the front of the room. The vaulted ceilings of the town hall and the tall slim windows running the length of the buildings created a sort of regal feel to the old building. Well lit with the windows the town hall, it was a far removed form the small dark halls of many of the other villages and towns in the wilds, just one more reminder of the cities general importance in the land.

A long table set perpendicular to the entrance sat at the front of the room. Chairs lined the table on either side. Tall backed ones with deep sky blue cushioned seats and back complete with arm rests. The regal oak chairs would be equally at home in some southern castle chamber than in a town hall in the wilds.

In front of the table were set three rows of benches upon which those that followed the Gre'nahk most quickly to the hall had found them selves a good seat for the proceeding. Opposed to the late comers like my self who had to lean against a wall in the crowded room.

My suspicions concerning the girl were soon confirmed when I spotted her seated to the left of the center chair. The Gre'nahk had indeed come to sell her. Yet instead of troubled smiles the council seemed to be rather approving of the idea from the smiles on their faces. That kind of smile was reserved to a man who knew he was about to make a profit. So I wondered just what kind deal had the Gre'nahk proposed.

Ma-sul the town's elder and head of the council spoke the first words I caught as I moved a bit more to the front of the room to hear better. "My dear friends" he started with a genuine warm smile. The type of smile he had was an infectious one where the other party could not help but to reciprocate.

"The deal you offer us is a fine one indeed. For sometime we have also considered what we could do to better our friendship. I believe that your most generous deal would marry us together most splendidly. Yet two most delicate pieces remain to be placed. First of course is the dowry of which your kind hold in regard and tradition. Second being which of our fine young men you are requiring of us." The elder spoke while casting his arm mover the gathered crowd. Putting on a fine performance as always.

Yet my heart sunk when I heard him say that last sentence. The Gre'nahk had not come to sell her to an awaiting party but as part of a deal with the village. An arranged marriage from nobles between two towns in the wilds worked much like those of nobles in a kingdom. The two parties would be bound together by blood in the future and less apt to fight petty battles and raise squabbles about things of no important. Which to my mind was what most nobles were for anyway.

What scared me most was that Green Briar had no true nobility only a few wealthy families of merchants and craftsmen, mine being one of them. Further besides myself there were only two other marriable men of these families.

My father, seat third to the right of Ma-sul appeared in deep thought, to my dismay. He must be at least considering my eligibility to this deal. Yet I could not think that he would give his consent or that the council would ask it as I was an only child and a marriage to a Gre'nahk would mean the end to our line.

"My son shall be her mate" My father spoke up suddenly. All eye were suddenly fixed upon him. "I have seen my son's eyes as he has traded with Gre'nahk before he approves of your people's beauty and his mind if free of the taint of the southern lands. He heart is a wandering one and with a Gre'nahk mate the two could travel to the other villages of your peoples and sell much more of both of our goods. The beauty that shines upon the females of the Shifting Sand as the image of the gods will keep my son close to your people. This arrangement will be mutually beneficial. The last matter need but be only that of the dowry for my son to take care of your granddaughter my most revered friend"

I worked my way out the building while my feet could still move as shock was quickly setting in on what was being planned for me. How could my father actually believe that this deal was worth while and most importantly why by all cursed blood oaths did he think that I would submit to such a thing. To be bound to a furred fuck salve. I pity the girl's fate but I would be dead before I submitted to such a thing as she so easily yields to. I need to get home and prepare to fight this. But there is no real leverage I can think of is. I could abandon this village or flatly refuse but either way would destroy my reputation and my father's. I could also potentially lead to bloodshed between our towns. I must tred lightly and first convert my father to my side if I canot do that, I will have to leave this town.

The sums from my work the past few years have come to give me a decent reserve of 14 gold coins. More than enough to live off of for several months or even a year of traveling freely. But far from what I would need to start a new life and career somewhere else. Of course that is only if I did not take a bit more with me.

I'm not young enough to think that I've earned more than I have received from my father but my anger leads me to want to burn the whole shop down and leave in this night. I can't help but smile at the thought of his whole life's work being destroyed in one night. The store and all his stock turned to ash along with myself disappearing. What would that proud man do if he were reduced to a few gold coins again with no family at his age.

As much of an entertaining thought as it is, I really doubt he would break down at the sight of such a loss. No, my father is too proud for that he would rebuild and start over. Since it is obvious that I overestimated his value of family to be so willing to end his line for a few gold coins

It is one thing for me to find a Gre'nahk and decide I want her as a wife and quite another for that man to decide to force me to marry some Gre'nahk slave bitch. Outside the larger clans there are free females that participate normally in society. Generally they are found more in the cities of other races than their own. Even if they are free to make their own choices there are many of their race who wish to choose for them, that they end up bound by tradition if they venture to stay among their own kind.

Yet the audacity of my father to think that I would bow down and submit to a similar thing. My mother did not raise me to be a fool or a servant to others, I'm a bold and free man of the wilds. I will not let others dictate my fate.

By this time I had reached that man's store and decided to wait upon his return to answer why he would make such a deal. I still had hope that his decision would be over ridden or that he would renege upon it. Even when faced with the sad truth that he would appear foolish to make such a bold declaration and then turn about upon it.

I set about taking several large bees wax candles from the back storage room and set them upon the counter where I had taken a seat behind to wait. I lit them and watched the seemingly dim flames compared to the light emanating from the windows, bounce around the wick like a chained dog, the fires becoming larger mimicking the rage that bubbled inside me.

Despite my rage at this situation I can't say that I really intended to knock the candles down upon the fabrics about, the thought still eased the pain of my heart however. I could just not bring myself to destroy my father business and reputation. I saw my mother's tear soaked face in my mind every time the thought took a strong hold of me.

I remember once when I had been around the age of seven, getting into an argument with my father over unloading some newly acquired fabrics from a cart. I became so angry that my father would not let me go play with my friends that I ran into the store front and shouted at the top of my lungs some of the tricked my father used in negotiate prices with other merchants.

My father was shocked and could do nothing but smile at the situation with customers in the store. The situation caused him several golds and a much larger degree of shame to have some one utter such things.

I returned to the back room intended to go out and play when I saw my mother come in behind me, her face streaked with tears. And in a sad, defeated voice she simply asked me why I had done that to my father. As I tried to summon a defiant response to match my smug attitude, seeing my mother's face, my words failed me. Her warm loving demeanor was so broken on that day I said to myself that I would never again make her cry again.

So when my father finally came in an hour later my anger had cooled considerably. That did not prevent me from wearing a scowl. His eyes went wide when he saw me with a dozen lit candles sitting behind the counter staring him down.

He cleared his throat before starting, " I take it you were at the meeting Tal" He started slowly. His face showing much deliberate thought "This agreement will be very beneficial to us Tal. I did not see you there. Were you present for the entire proceedings."

"No" I replied coldly.

"Hather has agreed to give us exclusive right to their raw furs and hides in exchange for a percentile of finished products and an abolishment of tariffs between the two towns."

"And where is the need to marry off one of their fuck slaves?" I asked emotionlessly

"Tal, she is a Shifting Sand female not a slave, they are trained to server their husbands. She is far from a slave, she has been trained to serve and conform to her husband's wishes since she was six. She will become the perfect wife to her husband, conforming to her husband's desires. She is central to the agreement Tal." He said plaintively.

"Veira specifically has been trained to serve a human husband. I have seen how you look at the Gre'nahk, Ah'komeli and the Vestige, you find them attractive in an exotic sense. There is no shame in liking those outside your race my son. Beauty comes in many shapes and forms and they are many ways to give and take pleasure. You may be too young to understand that now but she will obey your wishes and give you what you desire Tal."

"And how about children?" I ask raising my voice and standing. "Maybe a pet that doesn't shed all over the merchandise. Or perhaps a wife with some independent thought might be nice. You use the term wife easily now but at the meeting your language was different, you referred to the proposed union in their animalistic terms" I said viciously.

" I admit you will be unable to have children with her Tal, but can you surely say that she is so bad before you have spoken to her. You are still very young Tal, and the high born Gre'nahk often take more than one wife. The arrangement in essence allows you to act as both a Gre'nahk and a human within both our laws at your convenience. Veira would have no say if you were to take a human as a wife. Surely you can see the great advantage in this." He said putting his business front on for me.

I sighed heavily, as much as I despised the man for making this deal with me like some bolt of Joliam silk. He was right in that I both liked some of the females of the best races. And that I have yet to meet the girl to fairly make a judgment of her.

She would not of chosen her lot and depending on how strict her clan may not of had a chance to escape. Or worse should could of tried and be caught. I've heard stories of where females that are caught escaping are shaven clean and then gagged, bound and put on display in the center of town. They make all the young females watch the whole process to imprint on them the shame and pain they will suffer if they try to do likewise.

Of all the punishments that will not leave a lasting mark, nothing brings more shame to the beast races than to be shaven and publicly displayed. Most males will commit suicide after being displayed and shaven. Female Gre'nahk on the other hand have a much less pride being in servitude to their mates, and not having a chance to develop a sense of self-worth from where ones pride stems.

"I will talk to the female" I said begrudgingly. "But I agree only to that, I will talk to her tomorrow, nothing more." I couldn't discount the chance that perhaps she was more than she appeared to be and may actually be an interesting girl. I didn't really have much hope on that end, however the idea of a Gre'nahk mate was a bit more than intriguing. Intriguing in the way that I would like to make love to one. Having such an exotic lover is an experience that I very much wanted.

But since the beast races placed such a high fertility and children they seldom even consider mating with a human and I have never seen a Gre'nahk female working a tavern before for a reason that is beyond my experiences to explain. I would think that especially a Gre'nahk female would take such a job if it meant an opportunity of escaping their old oppressive lives.

There is a large difference between wasted to have sex with a Gre'nahk and wanted to have one for a wife however, even a high breed fairly good looking one as the situation I find myself in entails. I might as well convince Jannis to let me have his mate for a night. Sex with a 6'8" Rugesh should scratch that particular itch....... and likely kill any further curiosity on my part. Provided my cock and balls survived the encounter uncrushed.

I felt that my cock was leading my choice as much as my brain in the matter having not 30 minutes ago being disgusted at the thought of having this slave girl as a mate. And now finding myself wanting to accept the arrangement just to fuck her. A decision based upon emotion like these are always bad one so I must straighten out my course of action. The first and perhaps only step in this was to scratch the itch that had been waiting in my loins since I first saw the female. Despite with the situation at hand, my thoughts wandering to scratching this itch with a female of a beast race, I knew exactly where to head this night.

The sun had just started to touch the horizon as I arrived at the cedar and plastered two story building. The light red wood that framed the building every few feet stood a stack contrast to the bright white plaster molded in between the beams. Rather simple in design having but a central arc and a small awning over the door, flanked on both sides by two large yellow and green signs proclaiming this place to be The Fallen Log Inn.

It was a newer style of building that started using plaster as this one did making a thick sticky coat over looser assembled boards underneath. The plaster applied like this as opposed to just filling cracks between boards made the whole thing last longer and fed the insects that lived in wood less, causing all those who dwelled inside to be happier. This inn was by far the best you would find for several hundred miles and all the merchants and travelers from other towns and villages knew it. It being a large building with 22 well sized rooms to rent, it would not be uncommon to find 50 or more people gathered inside at any given evening. Merchants and those on tighter budgets generally stayed away from it because the price ran along side its quality, but many other travelers enjoyed a night of staying in a bug free bed.

The Fallen Log Inn was also known to have several nice girls working there at any given time. Girls that did more than cook and serve meals, mind you. I arrived so early before dinner would normally be served for just such a thing, having a specific girl in mind and wanting to make sure I could ask her services for the night. One I knew well and enjoyed her company as well as her body. Both of which are required for a truly satisfying evening and that is exactly the type of evening I was looking for to set my mind straight.

"Good Evening to you Tal" I was greeted warmly by Lucine the owners wife before I had set both feet in the door. " With all the commotion about you I take it you wish for a good drink." She said giving me an understanding smile. For a woman about 40 she still looked every part your winsome bar maid. Shoulder length blonde hair blue eye a more than ample bust displayed very nicely in a low cut simple green and gold dress. Many travelers who stayed would become disappointed when they learned she was not part of the "menu" as it were. Lucine being more than woman enough to take care of her self after living most her life in a tavern.

"If ever I could use one it would be now." I replied giving Lucine a weary smile. Looking around I could see only a pair of travelers talking with each other in a far corner by one of the fireplaces in the Inn's main hall. " No locals yet?" I ask inquisitively.

"Not unless you wish to count yourself." She said flashing me a smile while beckoning me over to the bar." I'm sure they will start coming in soon however so if your looking for a drink or two and some quite now's the time."

"You know I don't drink Lucine."

" When a man is staring at an arranged marriage I imagine that would be the best time to start. I have some top quality Gre'nahk honey mead, or if you're a bit hesitant about jumping into any more Gre'nahk things I found a bottle of greater fire spirits left in the room of a southern merchant two weeks ago. There's not a quicker way to muddle your wits and loose your stress than to take a tall drink from that." Lucine said this obviously with a note of caution to my whole situation. She recognized that me being here meant I was not at all thrilled and settled with the idea and she wishing to give me some support in the matter but on the other hand the Inn stood to gain a fair bit more business and cheaper prices on the goods the purchase from Hather if I accepted the arrangement, and so she was obviously a bit conflicted in how to approach me.

"Strong drinks are not the kind of stress relief I was looking for on this night ." I replied glancing over to the kitchen. Lucine noticing my glance and smiled deviantly. She had quite obviously caught onto my desire, akin to what many men share before they take a wife.

"Well my attractive young friend if you are looking for that kind of relief I'm sure we can accommodate you as well." She said using a more seductive voice slowly saying the last few words for added emphasis. "There's a special tonight that's not normally available, and since Ingfried is away for another two hours." As she seductively said this she pulled loose the top string of her dress freeing her breasts from their captor. "I think I can give you a taste of the secret house special for free." And with that she dropped the top straps of her dress from her shoulders and let it fall to her mid section. Her large beautiful breasts bear for me to see. The lovely shape and large red tits inviting me to take swift action. "What do you say we have a little fun together" She drew her self up onto the bar counter and ran her finger along jaw lien while I abashedly stared at her beautiful figure. Never had I seen naked woman like this before, one so rich and full, one who surely knew well how to please a man.

I swallowed hard before replying " Actually I was hoping to see Karen. Not that I do not appreciate your generous offer or boundless beauty that makes all women who look upon you green with envy." I hastily added, not wanting to offend this beauty before me.

"I see" she sighed and went about putting the top of her dress back on." You want a girl instead of a woman." She said as she looked away, her eyes teared up as she gazed over her body.

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant at all Lucine, I just,... uh,... just feel more comfortable around Karen, she's a good friend."

Lucine leaned across the bar and planted a kiss on my forehead then laughed. "If you are so easily fooled with fake tear and a sad face it is a good thing that you are set to have a Gre'nahk wife. A Human wife would easily lead you around on a leash." She replied playfully.

"Don't have such a confused look upon your face I say the last part in jest, I doubt any woman would have the heart to lead such a nice boy like you around." Lucine warmly replied. "Oh, I wasn't joking about having a little fun though. Ingfried and I allow the other a bit of fun with another every now and again and you are an awfully cute one. Its a shame to lose you to a Gre'nahk. Here is the key to Karen's personal room go wait for her there, I had her in the stables feeding the horses but I'll send her on over after she has a chance to clean her self off a bit." She relied warmly. She pressed the key into my hands and left.

I Honestly didn't know what to think at that point. To have a beautiful and very busty matured woman freely offer to pleasure me and then when rejected tug at my emotions before playfully pressing a key to another girls room in my hand. Which is more unusual I really couldn't tell, but I knew that when they entertained guests the girls here did so in the Inn's rooms not the half dozen personal quarters. The girls also choosing on their own to entertain a guest or not.

I couldn't think of a time that I had ever been into Karen's room here. Of the maybe dozen times I had called upon her thrice I had taken her to my own home and bed, while the other times all in one of the Inn's other rooms.

Well and then there was the one time she caught me staying after normal hours and made me help her clean off the last of the dishes in the kitchen. She had taken more than a few of the free drinks men routinely offer her that night and upon handing me the last plate to dry undressed and bent over the sink and told me there was one more thing that need to be cleaned, spreading her legs wide and wiggling her butt. I was not one to pass up such an opportunity I didn't care who could come in and disturb us.

As I fit the key into the keyhole of the plain cedar door, I couldn't help but smile back upon such good times. She had passed out after she came the first time and I was about to carry her to her room before she awoke demanded a second round and for me to clean up the hole I missed last time. Hedi walked in about 5 minutes into that adventure I'm sad to remember. She yelled at us both even more at me when she saw what exactly I was doing to Karen where and then quickly shooed me away and escorted a very angry and very drunk Karen back to her room.

She came over to the shop to talk to me the next day and apologize for making me help her with the dishes. I couldn't help but laugh at the way she walked. She did not remember a thing after cleaning the last plate. So I of course not wanting to be forgotten filled her on exactly what she said and did. The look of horror on her very red face was priceless. She swore never to accept drinks while working again and promised she'd make it up to me for putting up with her drunkenness. I'm not sure why she needed to make anything up to me as I had thoroughly enjoyed myself, never before having a woman offer her ass to me.

These thoughts filled my head as I sat down upon her bed and looked around her rather plain room. A small bed with a thin gray wool blanket of low quality. A small desk with a few papers strewn about it flanked opposite the bed to its left was a cedar wardrobe and next to that a small three drawer dresser. All if it was roughly hewn, such furniture required much less work than nicer pieces and as a result cost much less. Fact all of the furnishing here were of the lowest quality and there was nothing personal or expressive that I can see in the room.

She has to make enough to live better than this. I alone have given her enough to buy a better quality bed and blankets. I had given her high quality cotton linens and a wall tapestry last year. I can't help but think that she is being exploited somehow to be living in such a destitute state. I know that Lucine and Ingfried would pay her a fair wage and the extra coins that she receive when she feels apt to lay with someone should let her have much finer things than this.

I'm going to mate with a Gre'nahk fuck slave and let her live in my home while a childhood friend and lover like Karen lives like this. I simply cannot do it. Karen may not be a perfect match for me but she is far better than the animal they are forcing me to fuck. Perhaps taking decisive action and asking Kar.....

"Tal?" Karen's voice moved me out of my train of thought and back to her room. She spoke from the doorway it appears as if she had been standing there for sometime watching me. She just smiled warmly, shut and locked the door behind her and sat down on the bed beside me , laying her head on my shoulder. Putting her arm around my back and pulling me closer to her soft feminine form.

She was a tall lithe dark blue-eyed girl, with a round face and a small nose, her light brown hair falling a bit past her shoulders. She possessed a healthy set of perky breasts which along with the lovely tits that adorned them quite sensitive. Her breasts helped to frame the slander curve from her shoulders to her waists and back out to her hips, at 19 she was every bit a young woman in her prime

"That much on your mind huh? She rapidly sweetly while stroking my hair with her free hand."

"Yeah there has been much that has happened today. And so I uh.....wanted..."

"I'll take care of you however you need tonight Tal, I'm all yours for as long as you like, Lucine's orders." She grinned at me.

"Alright then Karen, how mu.." I found a finger pressed to my lip interrupting my words.

Shaking her head she said " Nothing for you, on this night for you nothing "she replied almost to her self she spoke the last part. "Really Tal, I've never wanted to take a coin from you ever" she replied quietly as she continued to play with my hair.

I was a bit shocked to hear those words. I freely gave her coins because I wanted to not because she ever seriously asked for them. But if she really never wanted a coin that mean that she must....

" Karen do you love me" I blurted out, my mouth working well ahead of my mind.

She giggled at my quick and serious words. "Yes Tal I love you, but I don't love you like that" she said resting her head on my shoulder. "You have always been a dear and kind friend and we have shared my good memories together but you are not the kind of man that I want for a husband." She said as she started kissing my neck.

"I'm being serious Karen" I replied in a flat voice

"Oh, I know you are Tal, you would never joke about such tings. I mean what I said too" she stopping her ministering kisses to my neck and faced me with a warm smile. "You're just not a strong enough guy for me Tal. You're a wonderful lover who'd I'd love to cheat on with, but not the type I need by me. I need someone to take my hand and lead me around. You are too accommodating, women like that in a lover but not in a husband, Tal." She replied warmly while wearing a sad smile. "Were you more aggressive and dominating you would of asked for my hand when I was 16 and I would of quickly given it to you and we'd already have a little one running around."

My face fell hearing those words. I have been rejected many times before but never in such a way. Too accommodating? Not aggressive enough, am I just too nice a guy? I have always strived to act towards women as my mother taught me and yet this is my reward for it? I failed to form any words, my mouth just moving without sound.

Taking pity on me Karen filed my mouth with her tongue, in a long sensual kiss. "You will always be my friend Tal, and no man has ever satisfied me like you do. So lets just forget about these unpleasant things and give each other pleasure to drive out these foolish cares." She spoke to me honestly as she reached to stroke my cock though my pants. "I guess I cannot escape this by making you my wife then huh?" I asked in defeat, my sadness unable to be hidden from my face.

"Not unless you are able to bind me like that Gre'nahk princess. Mmmm, being bound and forced to fuck whoever my master says, sounds kind of fun." She giggled again as she kissed me deeply again and moved her hand down my pants while the other started work on my belt. "You're mine tonight now Tal and I'm going to fuck you to my hearts content. Until my belly is full of you and your cum is dripping from my pussy." Karen said with pure desire on her face, looking beyond me for a moment and imaging the scene she had just described.

I'm frankly shocked that she would use such language. Having become a serving girl must have liberated her tongue considerably the past few years. I can never remember her speaking as such when were still teens in love, making love together in the woods.

I submitted however to lust, I wanted her still, I never seriously did as a wife but her body was how I viewed female perfection, young athletic and full of vigor. Perky breasts that fit well into each hand a small tuff of public hair guarding her pink sex. The soft supple tones of her body exuded health. And yet she was only mine for a night and this was perhaps the last night ever. So I must make it count.

I made love to her slowly and softly making her beg for more contact. Then rough and hard like a beast in season throwing her body about the bed however I saw fit. These and every other way in between in every hole I filled her like a man possessed. I lost track of the hours or times that I came in her, until my stamina finally gave way. She fell asleep immediately when I finally stopped. My cum dripping from her ass and pussy, with some dried on her face, hair and around her sex. She would of fallen asleep hours ago if I had let her, but instead urged on by my own view this being the last time I would ever play with a human and partly because of her words earlier I wanted to simply dominate her. Looking around the room as the first rays of light slipped in through the shutters, I saw her few meager possessions strewn around the furniture providing support for various positions I had tried. I dressed, opened the door to the room and gazing once more over my handy work smiled to myself and left.

As I went through the kitchen to the front door, Lucine was stoking the cooking fire gave me a knowing smile. I guess we had been a bit loud I chuckled to my self a bit. "Karen may need the day off" I said with a smug grin "I doubt she will be able to walk a straight line for awhile"

"From how loud you were I'd expect her not to rise from her bed for 3 days to do more than relieve herself." Lucine said with a smile her face, one which was of envy? Well good for me. "But if you managed to put a child in her belly don't think that you can just ignore it and stay with that Gre'nahk girl." she said a bit jokingly.

" I take full responsibility and would make sure to leash them and take them both for walks every day" I said matching her joking tone standing up tall and sweeping my hand our in a grand gesture. Despite the fact that I would very much like to have put a child in her last night. Even when I knew full well that the medicines she took prevented her from ever conceiving on accident like that.

Leaving the tavern behind I made my way across the square back to my home to get a few hours of sleep before the arranged noon meeting with the Gre'nahk girl. Where I would have to decide the course that my future would take. ________________