FSE

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*This story is copyrighted by me Tyvara_Panther on February 8th, 2008. Enjoy!*

"Hello, who's there?" Sayrea said softly as her tail twitched nervously.

The figure lit a single candle, which revealed Vartouhi as she rested on the divan. She held the taper high as she stared at Sayrea. "Did you enjoy your evening out?"

Sayrea blinked in surprise before she gave a sigh of relief, as she recognized the intruder. "It ended up well."

Vartouhi didn't move and gave only a cold stare in response. Sayrea tensed, and became uneasy at Vartouhi's countenance. A few moments of silence persisted, before Vartouhi spoke again. "I hope your time with the Emperor was worthwhile."

Sayrea was slightly taken aback by her friend's abruptness. "I hope it was. Alirik seemed pleased when I left him."

"Alirik? You call him Alirik now?" Vartouhi said as her fur rippled slightly with apparent agitation. "What happened to calling him Emperor?"

Sayrea shrugged her shoulders. "Well, that's not what Alirik wants to be called." She paused as she walked towards her friend. "He is to be my mate, and it's my duty to do whatever I can to make him happy."

The lean ocelot gave Sayrea a perturbed look. "What made you come to that conclusion?" Vartouhi inquired with a soft growl under her breath as she leaned forward. Sayrea moved to her bed and sat on the large hope chest that stood at the foot of it, she folded one leg underneath her; her tail was curled into her lap, which she petted as she spoke. "It's the way I was raised. I've been brought up for one reason, and that's for my mate."

"Technically he's not your mate yet." Vartouhi insisted forcefully as she leaned further towards Sayrea. "You still have a chance to leave, why don't you take it. I'm sure you have reasons to return."

Sayrea looked at Vartouhi and almost burst into tears; she held them back as best as she could before she replied as she shook her head roughly. "You don't understand. This is the way I was raised; it's important to my family and our traditions."

"But if you want to stay with the Emperor, you don't have to uphold those beliefs."

Sayrea continued to shake her head. "It's not that simple. I was wrong to go against the traditions of my family, and I won't do it again. They were right."

Vartouhi gave Sayrea a confused look as her tail tapped impatiently. "Sayrea . . . what are you talking about? What did you do that was against your family? They sold you to the Emperor; you've been obeying their wishes by staying . . . what did you do?"

Sayrea gave a sharp shake to her head. "It doesn't matter what I did."

"Sayrea, you can tell me anything?" Vartouhi paused and gave a hurt look as she continued. "I thought we were friends?"

"We are . . . it's just that, I know what I did was wrong, and I can't change that, and I want to put it behind me."

Vartouhi stood and walked toward Sayrea. She knelt down and wrapped her arms around the vixen, and gave her a warm hug. "Sayrea, I'm your friend; tell me."

Sayrea was a little taken aback by Vartouhi's actions--maybe she had found a real friend within her new home. She sighed and wrapped her arms around the ocelot, and returned the hug before she pulled away. "I have more than one reason for the unhappiness of my situation; it wasn't just being sold that made me resent Alirik." She paused and looked into Vartouhi's eyes. "I had a lover before I was purchased."

Vartouhi stared at Sayrea, her face was blank and practically unreadable as she asked stoically, "Then why don't you go back to him?"

Sayrea sighed as she tried to reexplain herself. "It's not that simple. In my family it is forbidden for a female to have dealings with a male that has not purchased her. I always thought it was such a stupid rule."

"It is." Vartouhi interrupted.

Sayrea shook her head and continued. "I thought so too, until Emperor Alirik purchased me before my lover could. My parent's had been protecting me from becoming attached to a male I could never have. If I had followed the rules and stayed away from Enerin then I would have had a better time adjusting to life here as the wife of Alirik."

"I take it Enerin is the name of your lover?"

Sayrea blushed and nodded. "He had arranged to purchase me, but a fire burned up his dowery and it was canceled." Sayrea smiled as she continued to reminisce, explaining her tryst with the timber wolf. When she was finished, her face was a look of contentment--she was glad to get her secret out to someone.

Vartouhi stood and returned to the divan, and sat on the edge. "Why didn't you just run away with him, before the Emperor could send the carriage for you?"

Sayrea shrugged and added, "Where would I go? All I know how to do is care for my mate and my family would have hunted me down. Breaking tradition is severely frowned upon."

"So you don't love the Emperor?"

Sayrea thought that over for a moment before she replied. "I don't know. He's a kind enough male; he seems to care a great deal for me, but I don't really see how it matters whether I love him or not. He's my mate."

"There's been no ceremony yet."

"No, but why wouldn't there be? I have no place else to go. I have nothing. I can't return to my family, they'll send me here. I can't return to Enerin, because my family will catch me and send me here. But more importantly, I can't break the tradition of my family, it's who I am, and I was wrong to think I could defy it."

Vartouhi shook her head dismissively. "I don't think I'll ever understand you." She stood and laid a paw on Sayrea's shoulder as she faced the door. "But I should tell you this: I am the fifth wife of the Emperor Alirik. I've worked long and hard to maintain a presence at his side, and in his bed." It was at this point that Vartouhi looked at Sayrea; her voice was sharp and cold. "I will not loose all I've worked for, for a female whose sense of self is dependant on others." Sayrea opened her mouth to speak, but Vartouhi cut her off. "Don't. I like you Sayrea, but I've not worked this hard to share the Emperor with you. Take a lover, move on and be happy in the knowledge that you live a life of luxury without having to submit to the desires of a lecherous male. You are better off." Vartouhi finally looked down at Sayrea, her smile was hard to read. Sayrea couldn't tell if she was pleased with herself or truly sorry; it was by far the strangest smile Sayrea had ever seen. "The Emperor's needs would break your gentle spirit." She roughly patted Sayrea's shoulder and walked towards the door; once she reached it, Vartouhi paused and turned back to look at the vixen. "It would be in your best interest if you ignored the Emperor's attentions from now on." She paused for a quick moment then added with a crooning tone. "Sleep well." Vartouhi flicked her wrist in farewell as she left the room and Sayrea, still as stone on her hope chest.

What on earth had just happened Sayrea couldn't be sure; something that had started as a conversation between friends, ended in a sort of rivalry between the only female who had shown her any kindness. Now Sayrea had to decide between her future mate, and Vartouhi; though she felt that wronging the Emperor would yield the worst results.

Sayrea was in too much shock over the evening's events, that she simply crawled into bed and closed her eyes, hoping that the morning would bring happier tidings, though when she did wake, she burst into tears. Sleep hadn't helped the situation; it only made her realize the predicament she was in. She didn't want to hurt Vartouhi, but she wasn't going to lose Alirik. It was her duty to please her husband, and it would please him to have Sayrea love him.

Willa came in shortly with the breakfast tray, and saw Sayrea crying. "My goodness, what happened? Have a bad dream?"

Sayrea shook her head as Willa hurried to her side. She set the tray on the table near the balcony doors. "It's Vartouhi, she won't be my friend anymore if I continue to see Alirik." Sayrea said between tears.

Willa nodded as she gave Sayrea's paw a warm pat. "Yes, Vartouhi is a sly female. She never says what she means, but always means what she says." She sighed. "You must always be on your toes around her . . . but I guess it's good you discovered who she really is so soon. Some of the girls here weren't so lucky."

Sayrea looked at Willa and wiped her tears. "What happened to them?"

Willa looked at the vixen with a sad look. "Some of them were closer to Vartouhi than to the Emperor. They felt they owed who they were to the lady. It is much better this way; it should be much easier to choose between a female you know to be false and the Emperor, who has never done you wrong."

Sayrea mulled over what Willa had said and her tears ceased to flow, as she cocked her head at her maid. "You think it would be best to choose the Emperor, don't you?"

The ermine gave Sayrea a look, as if to say the answer was obvious. "What has lead you to choose Vartouhi's friendship over the Emperor's love? She's shown you that she's a false friend, that she cares more for herself than you, but the Emperor," Willa paused as if frustrated that she had to explain it all. "He has given you every reason to love him."

Sayrea gave a heavy sigh before she spoke. "I have known both of them for the same amount of time. I don't know enough about either."

Willa shook her head in dismay, "That may be true, but it doesn't change the decision you have to make. You must make some sort of selection based on what you know up to this point." She paused and gave Sayrea a long, deep stare. "I dearly hope you choose wisely." She turned and walked toward the dresser and brought out a green riding dress to lie out on the bed. "You have lunch with the Emperor today; I don't recommend disappointing him." Willa gave Sayrea a serious look before she headed toward the bathing room. "I'll fill up the tub while you eat."

Sayrea gave a nod and slid out of bed, and padded her way to the table by the balcony. She uncovered the tray to reveal a small basket of bread rolls, sliced ham and salami, sliced cheese, soft-boiled eggs, a pot of coffee, and a glass of apple cider. Sayrea sat, and began to ravenously eat.

Just as she finished Willa returned. "Your bath is ready now, milady; take it now, while the water is still warm."

Sayrea's shoulders slumped slightly, but she rose and followed Willa to the bathing room; she wasn't really excited about bathing, but it wasn't as if she had much choice in the matter.

There was a large claw-footed tub toward the end of the room. Sayrea stripped from her bed robes, and let them fall to the floor as she tested the water with her paw. It was a little too warm for her tastes, but it would cool. She climbed into the tub, and gave a soft yelp as the heat washed over her and pushed through her fur to her skin. She sank into the water, careful not to let any excess water splash over the sides. Sayrea lay in the water for a moment and exhaled deeply. This might have been a better idea than she had first envisioned. After a while of soaking, she took in a deep breath and submerged underwater. She ran her paws through her hair, just to make sure she had gotten completely wet before she came back up for air.

Sayrea lounged for a few more moments; she closed her eyes and let herself forget some of her troubles. Her body had acclimatized to the temperature and the water was pleasantly warm. She felt its soothing embrace filter through her fur to warm her flesh and she closed her eyes slightly and let the warmth wash over her. After a few moments she let her paw wander southward toward her sex. She had been without for over a fortnight, and she so desperately needed an orgasm. With her forefinger and ring finger she rubbed her labium, which allowed her middle finger to slip in-between them and finger her aching sex. This also allowed the soft paw-pad of her palm to rub against her clit. The entire action made her moan softly. She took care not to be too loud, just incase Willa was nearby.

As she continued to rub her sex, she leaned her head back against the tub and closed her eyes until they were thin slits. That was when her mind started to wander. She fantasized about Enerin licking her cunt; she imagined that he was sucking and tickling her clit as his paw digits pounded her sex, searching for her g-spot. With her paw now focused solely on her clit, Sayrea fantasized that Enerin suckled her clit as his paws rubbed her breasts and tweaked her nipples. The more she fantasized, she began to get flashes of Alirik's snow white face, and as she neared her climax Sayrea could no longer tell weather it was Enerin or Alirik who she saw in her mind, but she held little care as the electric feel of her climax began to build. It started in her toes and head, and from there, the feeling worked its way toward her clit, which she furiously rubbed. She panted heavily as her mind was encompassed by the explosive feeling she dared not contain, and in a flash, her climax gripped her. She splashed slightly in the tub as her body shook convulsively and her paw movements slowed. She opened her eyes and gave a heavy sigh--that was exactly what she needed.

At that moment Willa came into the room, which caused Sayrea to jump slightly. Her heart palpitated wildly at the thought that she had almost been caught. "Well hurry up milady, you need to get to washing. Do you need my assistance?"

Sayrea shook her head and tried to hide a smile. "No, I'm good."

"Very well, anything you should need is on the tray. I'll be back in a while." Willa said as she motioned to the tray that hung off of the side of the tub, before she left the room.

Sayrea sat in the tub for a moment to give herself time to recover slightly. Her mind wandered back to what she had just done and she wondered: did she climax to Enerin or Alirik? She couldn't be sure, but then again, did it really matter? It was only a fantasy after all.

She gave a sigh and decided she better get to bathing. She turned toward the tub-side tray and saw a bowl filled with a black colored liquid, a fur brush, hair brush, tooth brush, a bowl of whitish powder, a small glass of water and a wash rag. She leaned out of the tub slightly and gave the bowl of powder a deep sniff. It was made from salt, mint and iris leaves; it had to be tooth powder to brush on her teeth. She leaned toward the bowl and smelled the liquid; there was no smell. She dipped her paw into the bowl; the bottom was filled with a kind of ash and as she rubbed it between her pads, and it began to foam slightly; this must be for her fur and hair. She mixed the contents of the bowl until it foamed; then she began to slather it onto her hair. She worked the thick, foaming paste into her hair and fur. She stood to reach the parts of her body that lay in the water. When she was satisfied, she dunked underwater again and ran her paws through her fur and hair, in an attempt to get all the shampoo out. It took her three dunks to get all the shampoo from her body, before she moved onto her teeth. She dipped the tooth brush in the glass of water then rubbed it on the powder, which collected on her brush. She brushed her teeth, using the bowl to spit in, and when she was done, she took a sip from the glass of water, and swished it in her mouth. She spit in the bowl to remove the rest of the powder from her mouth. Sayrea submerged underwater one final time, and when she slid to the surface, Willa stood at the tub's edge, with a large fluffy towel, open and welcoming.

Sayrea rose and stepped from the tub into the warm embrace of the towel. Willa helped to dry Sayrea off, and roughly rubbed the towel over Sayrea's fur and hair until she was satisfied. The ermine maid led Sayrea back into her room, and shooed her to the bureau. "Pick out an oil for your fur and hair."

Sayrea complied, as she sat at the bureau and looked at the row of oil bottles that lined the back. She selected a few, and smelled them before she decided on one that smelled of clove, cedar and oranges. She pored some of the oil onto her brush and began to comb it through her fur. The ash-based shampoo she had used left the hair very dry, and the oils felt good on her fur as she brushed. Soon her fur was softened and shiny and she smiled happily before she moved onto her hair, and gave it the same treatment. When everything was to her satisfaction, she put the oil and brush back in their places, before she stood and Willa slipped on an undershirt and a pine green skirt. She then slipped on a bodice, and laced it up; over that, went a cream-colored, ruffled chemisette, and then a pine green jacket that matched the skirt. Willa then piled Sayrea's hair on top of her head, with only a few wavy strands left to hang down, before she placed a small top hat over the bulk of her hair. The last to go on was a pair of tan, low-healed boots, and matching gloves.

Sayrea looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. The Emperor did have some beautiful things and she was glad to showcase them. Sayrea turned back around as Willa opened the box that contained the necklace Emperor Alirik had given her the day before. She took it out and put it on, the pendant rested around the center of her chest. Now she was done.

Willa called for the guards to escort her down, but Sayrea shook her off. "I think I can find it on my own."

The maid shook her head worriedly "You mustn't forget that Vartouhi has threatened you; you shouldn't go alone."

Sayrea thought of it for a moment and agreed. She had no idea what Vartouhi might have planed, and she didn't feel all that certain that their friendship would make Vartouhi go easy on her. The guards arrived quickly and led Sayrea down to the stables. Sayrea kept a keen eye out for the turns they made, in an attempt to solidify the path in her mind.

At the stables, Alirik waited. He had taken two horses from their stalls and had them saddled and bridled; his own horse laden with a few bags, which more than likely contained lunch.

Alirik smiled when he saw her, and held out his arms for an embrace. "I am glad you are here." He said as Sayrea walked forward. She placed her paws in his, and gave them a gentle squeeze; he grinned in response before he said, "I hope you slept well, we have a long ride ahead of us."

Sayrea smiled in return as she walked to her horse and hopped up, sitting sidesaddle. She arranged her dress as she waited for Alirik to mount. When they were both atop their horses he turned and smiled again at Sayrea. "It is reassuring that you know something about riding."

Sayrea raised her eyebrow slightly in offense as she spoke. "I have been riding since I was a kit."

Alirik continued to smile as he replied. "There are many females here who like horses, but cannot ride to save their lives."

Sayrea's mouth formed a small "o" before they began to trot off into the countryside. The going was slow at first as Sayrea followed Alirik on some self-made path, and before they were out of the palace grounds, she saw something that caught her eye and caused her to turn. In the distance, intermittent between the trees stood a trio of thickly stoned archways covered in vines. She stared for a moment until she heard Alirik clear his throat to catch her attention.

When she turned to look at him, he asked, "You do still want to go with me right?"

Sayrea nodded. "Yes, I'm coming." She replied, as she kicked her horse into a trot and caught up with him.

Alirik flicked his muzzle in the direction his horse pointed as he said, "Just follow me this way for a while. I will not get lost; this is my land after all." He added with a confident laugh.

Sayrea smiled and said, "I trust you."

That alone caused Alirik to grin and kicked his horse into motion, with Sayrea a few hoofbeats behind him.

After they had traveled for a few minutes in static silence, Alirik slowed until their horses were abreast. He looked at her and gave her a soft look, his ears slightly down and head tilted to the side, which caused his chocolate brown eyes to sparkle as they caught stray rays of sunlight. She continued to stare ahead, her tail fur rippled with discomfort as he stared at her. After a few quick moments of this, Sayrea turned to give Alirik a blank stare.

"Why do you look at me like that?" She asked, as she slowed her horse.

Alirik shrugged his shoulders, as his horse matched the pace of hers. "Why do you refuse to speak with me? Are you truly that shy?"

Sayrea cocked her head; she had never thought of herself as shy, but she had never been put in this type of situation. She shrugged her shoulders as she answered, "I don't really know what to say." She ran her paws over the mane of her horse as she continued. "My parents had raised me to behave a certain way. Granted, I was never good at following much of what they said." She gave a slight smile, before it was replaced with another impassive stare. "I know now that my behavior was wrong. I should have tried to be more like the lady that they wanted, and then maybe coming here wouldn't have been so hard."

"How was coming here hard?"

Sayrea looked away as she shook her head and uttered. "I left things behind that a part of me wishes I hadn't, that some part of me wishes I could undo."

Alirik moved his horse closer and lay a paw on hers; this action caused her to stiffen slightly and cease to fiddle with her horse's mane. Sayrea turned to look up at him, and met the gaze of his warm, welcoming chocolate eyes. "If there is anything you need, I can send my servants to fetch it."

Sayrea gulped down the lump of discomfort that swelled in her throat as she stared at Alirik's thoughtful, but unknowing expression. "There is nothing that needs to be brought from anywhere. It's just the regret of a foolish maiden."

Alirik gave a knowing smile as he petted her paw. "I can understand that." Sayrea raised an eyebrow at Alirik skeptically, and the Emperor rejoined with a gentle laugh. "I mean, I know what it is to have regrets."

Sayrea nodded her head softly and entreated, "What have you regretted?" She gave her horse a kick which spurred him to trot once again; Alirik followed, and quickly took the lead as he gave Sayrea a shocked look and responded. "You know, you are the first to ask me that question."

"Really? Out of all your wives, I'm the first?"

Alirik nodded, but then shrugged it off. "I seldom speak about things like that with my wives."

Sayrea jerked her head, and stared wide eyed at Alirik. "Why not? I thought a wife was supposed to be the shoulder for her husband to rest on, supposed to ease him through troubles in his life."

The emperor gave a short laugh. "I do not think I have wedded a single female like that." He grinned and added, "But I would not mind having one."

Sayrea made a hurt face and said, "Have you decided not to keep me then?"

Alirik stopped his horse abruptly, and turned in his saddle so he faced Sayrea. "You are going to have to explain how you came to that conclusion."

Sayrea sighed before she spoke. "You said you wouldn't mind having a wife like the one I described, but I've already told you that I will be your wife. If you don't think of me as your wife already, then you must have decided to send me away."

The Emperor closed his eyes and shook his white furred head slowly. As he opened them, he reached out to grab her paw, and gave it a tight squeeze before he spoke, as he looked at her with a soft and tender expression. "I would never send you away, unless you no longer wanted to be here. As I said last night, I want you to love me before you marry me. Your love would be the greatest gift."

Sayrea smiled and dropped her head bashfully; no one had ever spoken to her as if what she wanted really mattered. Not even Enerin; though the time spent with Enerin usually didn't contain much talking--more like moaning and grunting. It felt strange to have someone actually want to know what she wanted--strange, but good. The only problem was, a part of her heart still belonged to Enerin. It maddened her that she couldn't make the love she had for the wolf, go away; she was a prisoner to it, and it prevented her from finding love for Alirik. Despite all that, Sayrea felt sure that if Alirik continued to treat her this way, she could feel some emotions for him--maybe even love.

She decided in that moment, that she would choose Alirik. Vartouhi might be a friend, but if their friendship was going to be decided between her loyalty to her husband, or to her, she was going to choose her husband. She wanted to stay--she needed to stay. Sayrea knew she could never have Enerin; he was lost to her. So she would do what she could to love Alirik as she had loved Enerin. He seemed to truly care for her; so she would care for him; even if it took all she had to leave her feelings for Enerin behind. She had to try. If Alirik wouldn't wed her until she loved him, then the longer she took falling in love with him, the greater the risk that he would get tired of waiting for her, and send her home. Yes, Alirik said that he wouldn't send her away, but there was always that possibility, and she was going to do her best to make it as unlikely as she could.

Sayrea smiled at Alirik, and squeezed his paw in return. "You are the sweetest male I have ever met. No beast has ever treated me with such care and kindness. I hope with all my heart that I can fall in love with you."

The ermine emperor grinned broadly; the sort of smile one makes after a victory. "Then I will do my best to help you." He said, as he raised her paw to his lips and kissed her digit-pads delicately.

His kiss, made Sayrea's heart beat quickly as warm shivers ran the length of her. She batted her eyes and smiled at Alirik as she said, "So, where are you leading me? We are planing on lunch today, right?"

Alirik laughed. "Most definitely. There is a place I used to go when I was younger, before my father died. It is a peaceful place and not much further."

"Very well, lead on."

Alirik turned his horse and trotted away, with Sayrea close behind. After a few more furlongs of trees, Sayrea could hear the sound of water, and both spurred their horses' to greater speed in response. Soon they reached a small clearing with a quaint babbling brook that ran through it. The area was filled with thick yellow-green grass, and lush with bright orange poppies, deep purple foxgloves and tiny blue cornflowers. A large stone sat at the edge of the clearing and hung over the edge of the brook, like a natural bridge.

Alirik dismounted and tied his horse to a tree by the water's edge. He then moved toward Sayrea and held out a paw to help her down. She gripped his paw and slid down the saddle. With his free paw, he motioned her toward the stone as he tied Sayrea's horse to another tree; each horse with enough slack to reach the brook. He took the pack from his horse's saddle and followed Sayrea to the rock. He laid the bag on the ground and began to unload it as Sayrea stood next to the stony bridge nervously; she felt rather lost, not knowing what to do. The first thing Alirik unloaded was a grey blanket, which he spread on the floor next to the rock on which Sayrea situated herself, as she watched Alirik lay out their lunch. First, out came a jug, nestled in a thick black wrap, and another thinner bottle filled with a pink liquid. Then Alirik pulled out a stone plate and arranged on it sliced ham and roast, with crackers and yellow cheeses around the plate. Next came a bag of green grapes, small apples and multicolored cherries. Last came two stone bowls, and two handleless, cups; etched in the stone hollowware, were tumbling ermine; with the figures inlaid in silver and gold, and had tiny black diamonds for eyes.

With everything spread out on the blanket, Alirik looked at Sayrea kindly as he suggested, "There is lentil soup in the large jug and sumac tea in the bottle. Would you like some?"

Sayrea nodded. "That sounds delightful." She said as Alirik poured her a cupful of sumac tea and handed it to her. He then poured her a bowl of lentil soup, which she took. After she set the tea cup down, she took a slow sip of the soup. It was hot and mildly spicy. She sighed and licked her lips. "You seem to have gone to a lot of trouble for a little lunch."

"If I am to court you, then I will do it properly. There is nothing like a nice picnic lunch in the forest, sitting with a breathtaking vixen. Nothing can compare." He advocated as he poured himself some soup and tea.

Sayrea blushed slightly and turned from the Emperor. "I'm glad you see it that way."

"How could I not?" Alirik contested, as he took a sip of soup. "I have said it before, and I will continue to say that you are one of the most fetching vixens I've ever laid my eyes on. You are modest, and kind, and sweet."

"Please don't." Sayrea pleaded, as she laid a paw on Alirik's. "I'm not accustomed to such compliments. I have never been told such wonderful things in all my life. It makes me nervous."

"Then what would you have me say?"

"If you wish to court me before our marriage, that is your decision, and I see that I cannot change your mind on the subject." The emperor shook his head as Sayrea continued. "You seem to want to impress me through flattery, and I'm just not used to that sort of treatment."

"Then I shall find a better way to win your affections, my lady."

Sayrea grinned and gave Alirik's paw a squeeze. "Thank you."

Alirik took a few more sips of soup, and then grabbed a few crackers with cheese. He ate delicately, but crumbs still trickled down onto his shirt and into his whiskers. He brushed his whiskers to free them from crumbs as he looked fondly at Sayrea. "I hear you spent some time in the bower yesterday. How did you fare; or was that what had you so upset last evening?"

Sayrea had been drinking her soup while Alirik spoke; she inhaled some of it and began to cough roughly. Alirik scooted closer and tapped her roughly on the back until she had gotten her breath back. She took in another deep breath and then looked up at the Emperor. "Thank you." She paused as she reflected on Alirik's question. "It didn't go as well as I would have liked."

"How so?" Alirik asked, as he scooted from her side to face her again.

"Well, no one would speak to me. They wouldn't even look at me. It was like I was diseased."

Alirik patted her paw as he said, "I would not worry too much. They should warm to you eventually. I cannot think of why they would not; you are such a delightful vixen."

"I don't think they agree with your sentiment."

"Fret not, they will soon see what I do, and you should have a great number of friends."

"I hope so. Really I do. It's most unpleasant having all those females stare at me as if I had grown an extra limb."

He gave a soft laugh, before he asked, "Have you made any friends?"

"The ocelot Vartouhi is the only female that has even acknowledged my presence; let alone the only one who's been nice to me."

Alirik smiled at Sayrea, "See, not everyone treats you poorly."

Tears welled in Sayrea's eyes, but she held them at bay by taking in a deep breath as she sniffled slightly. "She had been very friendly."

"Well, that is good to hear. With Vartouhi as a friend, I am sure things will go well."

Sayrea said nothing as she took another sip of soup. There didn't seem any point in telling Alirik what Vartouhi had said to her. She knew that the ocelot would be angry with her for going to lunch with Alirik in the first place; the last thing she needed was to have her mad because she had mentioned the threats to the Emperor. In order to keep it that way she quickly changed the subject. "So how long ago did your father pass away?"

Alirik cocked his head at Sayrea and raised a single eyebrow at her as he wondered, "Why do you ask exactly?"

"You mentioned that you used to come here before your father died; so I was just curious."

Alirik's questioning look faded and was replaced by a nostalgic, forlorn face. "He died shortly after abdicating the throne. It was as if he knew he was dying."

"I'm sorry for that. I've never lost a family member before."

"There is no need to be sorry. He lived a good life and he was a good ruler."

"What of your mother? How many wives did you have then?"

Alirik looked at Sayrea with a curious smirk that spread into a grin. "Why all these questions?"

Sayrea blushed, which consisted of ears that lay back against her head, drooped whiskers and a wrinkled muzzle. "I just would like to know as much as I can about my husband, since I have the opportunity to do so."

He nodded and replied, "That is a good enough answer. Well, my mother died when I was a kit, I never had a chance to know her." He paused for a moment before he spoke again, "I was mated when my father died, but she chose not to stay with me and I took on other wives. If I could not have one mate, then I would have one from every species."

Sayrea opened her eyes wide and stared perplexedly at Alirik. "That seems rather extreme; did she do anything to make you feel that way?"

Alirik glared at Sayrea, his eyelids thin as slits and his muzzle wrinkled with suspicion before he continued in a stiff voice. "She was no longer happy with me, and I was no longer happy with her."

Sayrea gave a couple of quick nods. "I see." She really didn't, but it seemed apparent that she shouldn't press the issue. "So how long have you been the Emperor?"

"Twenty-five years. My father died when I was fifteen."

"You said your father abdicated, so he intended for you to take over at fifteen? That seems very young."

"Maybe so, but I think it was more that he knew he was dying. It is customary for the reigning emperor to pass down his title to his son. Had he not, there was a high risk that the empire would not take me seriously, as my ascension was not performed according to tradition. They could take it as a bad omen."

"Has something like that happened before?"

He nodded, "With my grandfather, so my father grew up under the consequences of that deviation from tradition."

Sayrea took another sip of soup and nibbled a cracker before she spoke again. "So why was it I had to wait a week to arrive at your palace? Why didn't you take me away after my purchase?"

"There are a few reasons for that." Alirik began as he took a sip of sumac tea. "First because it took a week to return to my palace and a week to get your room and everything else ready."

"Oh, well that does make more sense. I didn't know you went to so much trouble for me." She paused then quickly changed the subject. "I never knew my home was ruled by that of your empire."

"It is not actually. The title of Emperor does not denote the size of my domain. It is merely a name. My grandfather assumed the title in an attempt to regain control over our people."

"Was it successful?"

"Yes and no. My grandfather could only convince the peasants and other low born folk. To gain the rest of the populace, he eliminated those who opposed him until people just began to agree with whatever he wanted."

"That seems like an odd way to gain respect."

"He was careful to kill off those who not only opposed him, but were relatively disliked by the majority of the populace."

"I guess you can't argue with success." Sayrea consented as she munched on some grapes.

Alirik nodded his agreement and drank the rest of his soup. "His tactics were a little unorthodox; but they put us where we are today. He collected the wealth of those he had disposed of, and used their land to begin an extensive trading process with the surrounding kingdoms. That made us more of our fortune. My father continued his work and so have I. It has made us one of the wealthiest nations, even though we are one of the smallest."

Sayrea smiled as some of the pieces fell into place and added. "I was really confused about all of that. My father had always said that the kingdoms were usually separated by species."

"They are, but there is not a nation who is not familiar with ours, since we are at the center of the trading. Most of the trade passes through here or originates here."

"Do you trade in spices?"

"Not as much as your kingdom does. Ours are mainly metals and gems and all the things that can be made from that. We also produce some of the finest wine, oils and clothing."

"That I had definitely noticed."

"I am surprised no one ever told you about the different kingdoms and their rulers."

Sayrea shrugged as she popped a cherry into her mouth, and spit out the pit before she continued, "It's politics, not something for us women to know."

"And still you want to."

She nodded and looked toward the brook and gave a soft sigh. "I never was good at staying away from things my family wanted me to."

"Now it does not matter whether or not you follow your family's rules. You are free from that. I have freed you from such a fate."

"Their rules tell me to marry you because it's my duty."

"And I have told you that it is not your duty. I wish to court you. I wish for you to fall in love with me and want to marry me."

Sayrea turned to Alirik and looked at the strongly built ermine emperor. He had solid muscle definition, just enough to give him a finely chiseled look, without giving the appearance of a muscle-bound mercenary. He was neatly groomed, with fur that appeared velvety soft to touch. His eyes were bright and expressive. His tail was long, slender and powerful, like that of an otter. His rather long, brown head fur was pulled back into a slender pony tail. When he smiled, she could tell that he still had all of his teeth, and they were polished and sparkling white.

Alirik was attractive, there was no denying that. He was more muscular than she had thought a weasel could ever be. Sayrea had always pictured them as slender, graceful creatures, but this thought had always made her think of them as weak--Alirik certainly didn't look weak. He looked like he could command any army, and fight in it with the best of his warriors. She could be safe with him, and not only that, but he could provide for her; something she had always wondered about with Enerin, ever since he had lost her dowry, and especially since he had been taking so long to earn the dowry back. She loved Enerin, but she was wondering if her love had just been one of those first love romances she had read in so many books she had snuck from her mother's room.

At that moment she noticed that Alirik was staring at her, and probably had been for the past few minutes, just as she had been doing. She flushed and turned her head from Alirik's gaze.

Alirik scooted closer to her and placed a paw on her leg, he rubbed it softly until she looked into his eyes. "I can understand how hard this is for you. Leaving your family and everything you knew behind; it must be rough. I just want you to know that if there is anything I can do to make this transition easier for you, simply name it, and it shall be done."

Sayrea stared numbly at Alirik. There wasn't really anything he could do. All of her problems stemmed from her own poor judgment, and it seemed to be getting worse, as her relationship with Vartouhi would show. If her judgment had misled her, then maybe if she followed her family's rules instead of her own, she would find herself on the right track again. "Thank you," She said as she placed a paw atop his. "There is nothing you could do for me. Everything you've done thus far has been everything I needed." She smiled again, and wagged her tail gently. "There is nothing more you could do."

Alirik's face practically beamed as he spoke, "Well, then I will continue to do what I have. Hopefully it will be enough for you." Alirik gave Sayrea's paw a soft squeeze, as he looked around their picnic area. "It seams as if most of the food is gone, are you ready to return home?"

Sayrea sighed in mild displeasure at that thought, mostly because of Vartouhi, but there was a part of her that was really enjoying the afternoon with the Emperor. She felt she had learned so much in just the small amount of time. "Actually, if you wouldn't mind, I'd love to stay out with you for a while longer. I haven't had such an enjoyable time since," she paused, and made sure she spoke carefully. "Since I lived with my family. I'm glad though that I've had this opportunity to speak with you. I know so little about you and since you are so insistent that I fall in love with you, I'd like to know as much as I can about my future mate."

"And I will answer as many of your questions as I can." Alirik said with a smile, his face warm and welcoming as he stood and lifted Sayrea up by her paws as he rose. "Well, we have a few choices about how we spend the rest of our afternoon." He paused for a moment as he looked about their little picnic area. "We can stay here, or we can continue on riding, there are many interesting places I can show you within the boundaries of my kingdom."

"Wherever you choose to go, I'll follow." Sayrea said as she released the Emperor's paws, who nodded and began to clean up their picnic mess.

Sayrea dusted herself off, which removed some of the stray flowers and grasses from her dress. She brushed her gloved paws against each other to clean off any stray crumbs as she sauntered toward the brook. She looked down into the water, and stared at the clear blue liquid. She watched the small fishes as they swam downstream; she watched the little tadpoles that danced in the shallows. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the surrounding forest, and let the calm relax her. She heard the sweet two-note wolf whistle of a songbird and further off the long shrill call of a broadbill. She heard two frogs croaking to one another, as she felt the soft forest air blow against her fur. When she opened her eyes and turned around to look at Alirik, their picnic area was cleaned and practically returned to normal, the only thing that gave away the days activities were the impressions in the grass.

Alirik busied himself with the horses' packs; he checked the straps and made sure the horses were as comfortable as possible before he looked over to Sayrea and gave her a kind smile, as his tail swished back and forth. "Thinking of something good I hope."

Sayrea nodded, and perked her ears at the Emperor. "It's been a long time since I've listened to a forest. My home was surrounded by spice fields, the forest was so far away and I wasn't allowed to stray far from my home. I'd only made it to the forest once." She closed her eyes as she began to reminisce. "I remember sitting against a tree and taking in the sounds and smells of that forest. It was so different from that of the spice plants." She opened here eyes and smiled at Alirik. "You know I think the smell of spice permeated into every nook and cranny of my home. I only started to notice that when your carriage came for me--it smelled so different from anything I'd been around before. I think the smell of spice stayed with me until I'd washed my fur."

Alirik looked at Sayrea and gave a hearty chuckle. "It is a pleasant smell, nothing you should be embarrassed of."

"It's a little hard not to, when everything here smells so sweet and comforting. I wander in smelling like a kitchen cook."

Alirik shook his head roughly, "No, it was a nice smell, I promise you that."

She shrugged her shoulders as she walked toward Alirik. "I trust you. I may not agree, but I'll trust you either way." She stood by her horse, and petted his neck as Alirik stood behind her.

"Would you like a paw up?"

Sayrea turned and found herself pressed between Alirik and her horse, their noses almost touched as she looked up at the ermine. Her face flushed and her fur on end, as she felt the emperor's warm body against hers. She breathed in deeply, as her chest heaved, and when she looked into Alirik's eyes she felt the force of his body against her--she wanted to push back, but felt lost in the force of his stare.

*Comments are welcomed. Please comment. I love comments, comments make me want to post more often and work harder toward completing stories. Anything is welcome, questions, comments, critiques, all these things help me become a better writer so please, let me know what you think--and even if you all hate me, then I'll know whether writing is even something I could pursue publicly -- Thanks ^ ^ *