FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A shiver raced through Fina's body as she lay on the bottom of the cage. She wasn't sure how long she'd been laying there. Didn't really care to be honest. It had been long enough for whatever that tangrowth Bellone had put into her body to clear out. Now her belly was nearly it's normal size, not that she cared really. Every one of her senses felt so dull and deadened now. For the last... she wasn't sure how long, she had been living with colors and sounds so glorious that it had seemed like a waking dream. Now, either her dreams were dull and lifeless, or filled with unspeakable terror.

So there she lay, shoved into a too-small cage in a dark corner of the auction house. She'd heard that they were going to have a sale today. Wasn't hard for her, even in the state she was in, to hear the relief in the auctioneer's voice at the prospect of getting rid of her. From the way they talked, and the way that the buyers avoided her, it was fairly obvious that she'd wind up in a breeding home.

Fina let out a little growl and sat up, panting heavily. Her head was pounding. Felt like there was a creature trapped inside of her skull and it was trying to break out by using sledgehammers. The mere act of sitting upright made her stomach heave. She barely made it to a bucket before her meager breakfast made a reappearance. A pitiful whine sounded from her as she slumped back to the floor, letting the icy cold metal draw the feverish heat from her.

There she lay, with only a single eye open to watch the sickening conveyor of potential buyers and their proxies shuffle through the line of offerings. How long ago had she been bound to a post out there? Days, maybe weeks? Felt like years

Her face twisted with raw disgust as she watched the parade. Oh, if only she could turn away from the spectacle and will it to go away. It was hard to move though. Even breathing hurt her poor head and made her joints creak like an elder's. So she did the only thing she could. Offer a barely audible hiss and watch as the free pokemon filtered out into the bidding area. Fina shivered as the guards came and took the slaves out there, one by one. The distant cacophony of bidding and the pounding of the auctioneer's gavel made her groan and curl up on herself, trying to shut out the world.

As it was, she barely noticed when the guards approached her. The charmander offered only a feeble growl and hiss as they wheeled her cage onto the stage, each bounce making her groan in agony. She clenched her eyes shut as she was brought right to the center stage, a spotlight shining at her.

"Here we have a confirmed fertile female, prime for breeding. Due to some issues with her two former owners, this one has been declared damaged. Bidding will start at Twenty. Do I hear twenty?"

The question hardly left his mouth before a deep voice boomed from the back of the crowd. "Five hundred."

Dead silence.

Even Fina lifted her head, squinting against the glare to try and local whoever had offered that. It took a moment before the auctioneer laid his gavel onto the block. "Sir, are you certain of that bid? The opening was only twenty."

Silence stretched on for several more seconds before the ponderous voice spoke again. "Now that you mention it, I would like to alter my bid.

The relief was audible. "Very good, Sir. What would you like to enter as your new bid?"

"A thousand."

Fina had to grab her head in an attempt to shut out the roared protests that sounded from the crowd at that. She whimpered, curling up tighter as her skull threatened to split open.

"Be Silent." Somehow, with a softly uttered command, the bidder was able to reign in the growing chaos. Fina shivered in her cage, wondering just who was the owner of that voice.

Kales was curled up in the holding area of the Auction house. The arbok let his tongue flick out before drawing it back in lazily. His golden eyes were mostly closed as he looked over the caged charmander. She was laying on her side, looking up at him with a bloodshot eye and hissing feebly. A far cry from the fierce creature that he had seen there just a month before. Was all too easy to see that she had been through several types of hell, but there was still that fire in her eyes. Eyes shifted under his heavy lids as the farfetch'd auctioneer approached, taking a wide path around the cage. You put the fear of your claws in them, didn't you? He asked silently, the tip of his tail tapping against his coiled body.

He kept his attention on the girl until the bird cleared his throat. Angling his head towards the farfetch'd, he showed that the auctioneer had his attention. What had brought the male here? It wasn't about the bid, that matter had been settled. There was no question about payment. He had settled that matter as well. Which means it could only be about one thing.

"Sir, I wished to protest. My employees are perfectly capable of transporting the slave to your home. There is no need for you to remain here any longer. She will be delivered to your home in a timely fashion."

He sighed internally, but didn't let it show. Little people were so protective of what little authority they had. Rather bothersome if you asked him. "I do not doubt that she would be. After what I paid, I would rather that she be delivered safely and by one whom I trust."

The farfetch'd sneered; "Well Sir, you didn't have to pay so much for..." He froze mid-sentence as the arbok turned towards him, the serpent's eyes opening wider.

It was too easy. "I paid what I wished to, but not without reason. Seeing the fear she has inspired in you has convinced me that I have underpaid. However, we have already come to agreement on her purchase price. Payment has been made, I thank you for offering your services, but I have already made other arrangements concerning her transportation to my household." He let his eyes drift close, the farfetch'd only just realizing that he'd been holding his breath. "Now, leave us."

Bowing and scraping, the auctioneer backed away, babbling some useless apologies. Fina moved to watch him flee before turning her attention back to the serpent. She licked her dry lips and croaked, "You had better not try that thing with me."

Kales's head just barely moved towards her. "I will refrain from using my gaze on you, so long as you agree neither harm, nor ignite any within my household."

She uttered a weak growl, "I will defend myself."

"Would not ask you to do otherwise." His tongue flicked again. "If any of my household are foolish enough to try, then they would do well to be taught a lesson."

Fina sat up slowly, trying to avoid making herself sick again, and gave the male a good once over. It took a long moment before a memory clicked into place. "I've seen you before."

He let out a little noise, almost like a grunt. "Mm, would be disappointing if you didn't recall me."

Her eyes narrowed, "You were there when I was sold to that..." she trailed off a bit and shivered as she remembered the emboar.

"That rather embarrassing member of the upper class? Yes, pity that he was able to outbid me then. Was waiting on several contracts to finalize." Just the corners of his mouth twisted downwards. "Sadly they were signed and waiting for me, along with the first payments, when I arrived home that evening." His hood flared just a little before settling back. It was really too bad that Gregori was such a spoiled child, living off the reputation and money that belonged to his father and sibling. Was rather amusing what was happening to him, if the rumors were true.

Any further thoughts were interrupted by someone approaching. Fina leaned against the bars of her cage and looked past the arbok, eyes widening when she saw the kangaskhan strolling towards them. "Ah, Ms. Winters. So glad to see that the messenger was able to locate you." He turned his head towards her, body rotating slightly on his stack of coils. "I trust this request is not too much of an inconvenience."

Fina wrinkled her muzzle a little and angled her head. Sure enough, the kangaskhan wore a collar, although a much nicer one. She growled under her breath and laid her cheek against the bars. Well, she wasn't going to fall for his nice act.

"Tis no trouble at all, Maester Kales. No trouble at all." She waddled past him and smiled at Fina. "Is this her?" Again, the snake gave one of his little grunts. "Poor deary." The much larger female huffed as she squatted next to the cage. "Ooh, should have brought one of the lads with me for this. Getting too old for this."

"Nonsense, Ms. Winters. There isn't another in the household I would trust with this."

She smiled and opened the door, motioning at Fina. "Come on out and let me get a look at you." When the charmander didn't respond, the kangaskhan adopted the faintest of frowns and her voice took on a more commanding, motherly tone. "Now, I am far too old to come climbing in there after you. Be a good girl and come out here." There was something about the voice that grabbed onto something deep inside of her. Fina found herself crawling towards the door before she really even had time to think about it.

The older female groaned, "Oh poor deary. What did they do to you?" Reaching out gently, she ran a hand against Fina's cheek. The charmander winced at the touch, but slowly relaxed as the kangaskhan's scent reached her nose. Old books, wood polish, a flowery soap, turned earth, fresh bread, all manner of things that smelled homey. "Why don't we get you home and get something good into your belly, hmm?" She fumbled with a bundle Fina hadn't noticed until then. Before she could object, Ms. Winters had her wrapped up in a large, soft quilt. Her eyes shot wide and she squirmed against the folds of the quilt. "Shhh shhh," crooned the woman as she pulled Fina close. Despite her protests about her age, the kangaskhan was able to pick the charmander right off her feet and hold her close. Fina whimpered, but then began to relax against that homey, safe smell. "There you go, Aunty will take care of you. I'll be taking her home right after I finish the errands, Maester."

Kales grunted out a little acknowledgment and watched as Ms. Winters carried her bundle out through the servant's entrance. His tongue flicked out thoughtfully before he unwound himself slowly and started towards the main doors.

Fina shivered a little despite the warmth from the blanket that was around her. She'd been placed in the back of a cart, propped amongst some sacks of groceries. Once she'd settled her more precious package, the kangaskhan had gone around to the front and began to pull the cart. Peeking out from the folds, she looked at the kangaskhan in front of her. The older female was wearing a nice, if rather plain dress. "Who are you?"

The older female glanced over her shoulder and offered a little smile. "I am Victoria Winters, but everyone just calls me Auntie. It's my job to make sure that the Maester's household runs smoothly and is maintained perfectly." Squirming in the blanket some, the charmander sat up a little more and looked around. 'How are you feeling, Deary?"

Teeth chattered for a moment, "Cold and my entire body is aching." She lowered her head, tucking her nose into the blanket and inhaling. "Head is pounding."

"Have you eaten?" She shook her head at the question, closing her eyes as they passed under some fungus lamps. "When was the last time that you ate?" Even with her eyes closed, she could feel Auntie's frown when she shrugged. "Drink?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" she snapped, hissing as her tail slammed against the cart, the fire flaring up.

Auntie brought the cart to a sudden stop and turned around, putting her hands on her prodigious hips, frowning down at Fina. That disapproving look made the charmander sink down into the blanket and mutter an apology. Auntie's expression softened after just a second. Leaning in, she reached out to gently pet Fina's cheek. As soon as the hand got close, she winced away, voicing only the softest of whimpers. The touch was soft and soothing, fingers brushing over her scalp. "Oh sweety, what did they do to you?" She turned and started the cart moving again. "Don't worry, Auntie will get you something nice."

Just the thought of food made Fina's stomach roll before pressing tight against her spine as if it were trying to escape the mere thought of food. She voiced a moan and wormed around in the blanket, holding onto her belly as she began to pant. The feel of her loose gut reminded her of what had happened to her. Vague, dreamlike memories began to play back for her. A lump gathered in her throat as her mind began to torture her with a replay of everything that had happened to her in that tangrowth's home and gardens. She tightened her hold on the blanket and shoved her head further into it, trying to flee from the visions. Taking deep breaths of the wonderful scent that clung to the blanket.

A light touch to her arm made her jump, head flying out of the soothing folds. She blinked at the hand in front of her for a second before her eyes decided to focus. Auntie was holding something out at her, looked like a part of a bun that was stuffed with something. "Eat." She started to protest, but was cut off. "I'm not gonna compromise, young lady. Eat it." Fina made a face, but worked an arm out to take the offered food. The mere sight of the stuffed bun had her stomach doing flips inside of her gut. Rather than face down the disapproving stare, she nibbled lightly at the edge of the bun. The feeling was light and savory, the bread so soft and buttery. After the first couple nibbles, she felt a wave of hunger wash over it. Gobbling down the rest of the bite, she looked around, nose twitching as she sniffed the air. Auntie smiled, "Very good. Go slow though." Tearing off another hunk of bun, she handed it over. Fina grabbed and was ready to stuff it into her mouth when the kangaskhan cleared her throat. Cheeks flushed and she lowered her head, nibbling at the bun. "Better." Auntie placed a package with a couple buns on a sack next to her. A heavy mug of juice joined the treats. "Take a drink after each bite." She grunted as she lifted the cart's handles again.

Fina grabbed the mug to keep it from toppling as they started over. Alternating between nibbles and sips, she looked at the female's broad back. "Do you always do this? Go get things I mean."

Auntie shook her head. "Deary me no. Maybe when I was younger I did. Only go out now when no one else can." She relaxed slowly, licking her fingers each time before grabbing the next bun. Each one had a slightly different filling, thankfully nothing too heavy though. Once all the buns were gone and the juice was gone, Fina wiggled down into the blanket and closed her eyes. Auntie hummed a little tune as she wound through the market, stopping occasionally to dicker with merchants and add some more things to the cart. Enveloped in that blanket, with her belly nicely fill, Fina wiggled down and let the cart's gentle swaying rock her to sleep.

She snapped awake when she heard Auntie yelling for someone. "Jim, Tim! Got a cart load out here I need you to unload." Fina held tight to the blanket, heard pounding in her chest. Sitting up, she looked around quickly. They were in a courtyard of sorts, parked next to a massive door. A path cured up towards them, closed off with a heavy iron gate. There was another door nearby that stood open, looking like a storage building with some other carts and tools. Auntie was leaning inside of the near door, which looked to open into a kitchen. Her nose twitched at the scent of some rather lovely things drifting out of that door. The kangaskhan stepped back, but held the door open as a pair of mankey lads raced out of the door.

Fina reeled back when one of the mankeys leapt onto the edge of the cart, freezing in place when he saw her. Lips peeled back as she let out a warning hiss, pressing her spine against the wall of the cart.

"None of that now. They're energetic but won't harm you. Come on down, Dear." Shuffling towards the older female, Fina kept her eyes on the other two, both peeking at her as she hopped out of the cart. Pulling the blanket tighter around her body, she looked up at the motherly female. Just a gentle smile and a touch to her back ushered her forward. "Come on then, let's get you a good bath. Bet you haven't had one of those in a while."

A shiver raced down her spine as she looked over at the mankey boys, who kept stealing glances towards her as they shuffled around the cart's contents and chattered at each other. "It has been a while," she admitted. The people who sold her made her wipe down with a damp cloth, but it couldn't quite compare to a nice dust bath.

The hand on her back propelled her into the building. Holding tight to the edges of the blanket, she shuffled into the kitchen. Her body tensed when she saw several males hard at work. "Jacque, the boys are bringing in the groceries. See that they don't get into the sweets yet." A camerupt in a taller white hat grunted, peering into an oven with a critical eye. If it hadn't been for Auntie urging her onwards, she might have either bolted back out the door or simply frozen where she stood. Even with that reassuring presence, she lowered her head and hurried on. Pulling the blanket up, she wore it like a cloak to try and ward off the feeling of their eyes on her. Just keep your head down, she reminded herself, don't look and keep going. She focused on her feet and the floor in front of her. The floor was fine stone with the occasional rich rug stretched out across the cool surface. Auntie kept a hand on her back, steering her with gentle touches and soft words, she was lead through the house, up some stairs, and into another room. Only when the door was shut behind them did she finally look up.

And then she gasped.

She'd never seen a room like this before. Fine, small tiles covered most of the available surfaces. Many of them were different colors laid out in patterns and swirls, making a sweeping mosaic that transformed the cavern into an oasis landscape. Plants, set in heavy pots, dotted the room, adding to the feel while adding a gentle perfume to the air. A large pool of water, deeper at one end than the other, dominated most of the floor. There were little dishes and trays set in the stone around the pool, containing various... things she couldn't identify right away. Off to the side was an alcove, the floor depressed to contain a light sandy material.

That's just what she needed. A good roll around and tossing of dirt would feel so good right now. She couldn't wait to feel the coolness dusting her hide.

Fina had barely taken a step towards the alcove before Auntie tutted her. "A real bath for now. Get nice and clean. You can have a good roll later." She looked from the dust bowl to the water, and then over to the kangaskhan. "Go on now, I'll be here until you're done." The larger female sat down on a bench that ran along one wall and reached into a bag she'd picked up at some point. Producing a garment from the bag, and then a sewing kit from her pouch, she began to work. With a gentle sigh, Fina folded up the blanket and padded over to the bench. It surprised her how reluctant she was to leave the blanket behind. In the short time she'd had it, Fina had already become attached to it. A soft hand touched her cheek, "Don't worry, dear, it will be here once you're all clean." She managed to give the kangaskhan the barest of a smile before hurrying over to the bathing pool.

Hurrying over to the shallowest part of the pool, Fina tested the water with a toe. It wasn't as cold as she'd expected. In fact, it was mildly warm. Mindful of her tail, the charmander slipped into the water with a soft sigh. There was a ledge that ran along the edge of the pool, giving her a place to sit and keep the tip of her tail out of the water. Warm water flowed around her, being fed in from little pipes that dotted the wall, and flowing towards the deeper end. She just sat there for a moment, savoring the feel of the warmth soaking into her body, eating away at that chill that knotted her core. It was only as she sat there that she felt her muscles start to unknot and relax. She hadn't realized just how tense she'd been over the last... Just how long had she been in this great cavern? How long had she been away from her desert home? Long enough to... A hand fell to her belly and rubbed over it slowly as she remembered. A bulge formed in her throat, making it hard to swallow as tears threatened to spill out.

Before they could escape, she ducked her head under the water and scrubbed at her face with her hands. She stayed under for as long as she could before surfacing. Had to keep her mind off those things. Twisting around, she lifted a lid off a dish and found some pink-colored paste. Fina dipped a finger into it before bringing it to her nose and sniffing. It smelled of exotic fruits and felt grainy between her fingers.

"It's soap, Dear. Get a nice scoop and rub it on your body."

Following Auntie's instructions, Fina worked it onto her wet arms first. The paste started to lather and foam as she rubbed it. The gritty paste felt good on her skin, and it did an amazing job of taking off the grime that had been collecting on her hide for who-knows how long. She could feel Auntie keeping an eye on her, watching as she scrubbed off one part after another. Between the just-right water and that gentle song, Fina felt her eyes start to drift again.

She was so relaxed that she didn't even notice the kangaskhan's approach until she felt a finger hook into her collar. Panic surged through the charmander, making her hiss and jerk against the touch. "Hold still. I don't want to hurt you." Fina continued to hiss, but her body froze, twisting a bit to look back towards the kangaskhan. Light glinted off metal as Auntie leaned forward with a knife. A little whimper slipped out of her lips as it bore down on her. The cold steel slipped against her throat before pulling back, slicing the crude cord collar right off. Fina sank back into the water, heart pounding as she grabbed at her neck. "Bet that feels much better."

It felt weird not to have that thing wrapped around her neck anymore, a constant reminder of just what she was now. "But... don't I have to keep that on? I was told that if I ever took it off..." she lowered her head and tried not to think about Ten.

"With those other brutes, perhaps. You can go without until Maester Kales gets a new one for you." And like that she felt herself droop a little. Of course she couldn't go without one, not in this horrid place. Still, it was nice to not have it constantly rubbing against her neck. It was amazing, it was freeing, her whole body felt lighter.

Her neck felt cold.

Auntie stuffed the old collar into one of her apron's pockets and held out a towel. "Are you ready to come out?"

"Nearly." Fina grabbed some of the soap and scrubbed it around her neck before ducking under the water again. Staying under as long as she could, the charmander rubbed and scrubbed at where that collar had been. By the time she was willing to come up, her neck was feeling a bit raw and tender. Heaving out of the water, she let herself drip onto the tile as the cool air washed over her. Auntie had that big, fluffy towel wrapped around her before she could really start shivering.

"Didn't mean to startle you like that. Thought you had heard me coming up behind you. Not exactly that stealthy, you know." Drying herself off, Fina had to agree on that as the larger female clomped back over to where she had been working. By the time Auntie had packed up her sewing, Fina had finished patting her hide dry. "Are you feeling better now?" She nodded and looked for where to put the towel. "Over there." Following the kangaskhan, she found a closet-like alcove that was tucked behind a potted plant. After dropping the towel off into a hamper, she hurried over to collect her blanket from Auntie before following behind the female. Clean and surrounded by a wreath of relaxing scent, the charmander hurried behind Auntie as they headed out of the bathing room and ventured down a hall.

After more twists and turns than she dared to count, the pair ended up in front of a new door. "This is your room." Fina was stunned the second she looked into the room, eyes growing wide. There was a single bed in the room, which took up most of the floor space. There were a few cabinets set into a wall, framing a polished metal mirror. Auntie stood by a table, adjusting a fungal lamp to brighten the room. Fina stood there, looking around the room with large eyes. This was all hers? She had a room to herself? Why would she have a room all to...

Oh yeah. That reason.

Auntie walked over to a chest and started to gather bedding from it. She hurried over, dropping her blanket on the table before helping with making the bed. "Thank you, Dear."

Fina gave a little smile, "So... all this is mine?" The kangaskhan gave her a smile and nodded. Chewing on her lip a moment, she busied herself with tucking in a cover. "Why?" she asked, even though she feared the answer. Auntie's look was enough to tell her everything she didn't want to hear. Her eyes roamed over the room before spotting a door that stood opposite the bed.

"That leads to the Maester's room." Panic began to build in her gut again, the charmander backing away from the door. Her heart began to pound in her chest, eyes locked onto that wooden portal.

A little whimper slipped from her mouth, the charmander licking her lips worriedly. "Does he... will he... Hrrrrnnnn." She jumped as her back bumped into the corner.

Auntie shushed gently and moved around, blocking the door from her sight. "Oh what did those brutes do to you." She reached towards Fina, but stopped when met with a whine and a flinch. Nodding to herself, the kangaskhan moved back and settled herself in one of the room's chairs, a rather plush looking affair. She sighed as the plush seat almost cradled her. "Don't worry, Dear, Auntie will stay here with you tonight if you want her to."

Creeping back away from the corner, Fina managed to pry her eyes away from the door. "Would you? Please?" Eyes darted back to the door, heart racing in her chest. She knew that if that snake wanted her, then he'd just have to order Auntie to leave. The old gal might not like it, but she would do as he asked. He was her master, and Fina knew first hand what cruelty could be inflicted on people of their rank. But even with that knowledge, she felt more at ease with the kangaskhan staying in the same room as her.

The change in Fina was amazing. Kales watched her over the next few days, always keeping his distance. Not buy choice though. Auntie continued to give him updates on the charmander, but he couldn't get anywhere near her usually. The second she'd see or hear him slithering, she'd bolt for a door or dart behind Auntie. Auntie told him what she could, but the kangaskhan couldn't dredge up much from the charmander. He did have the reciept for her though, and since it listed off her previous owners he could deduce some of what she might have gone through. So he took to playing the waiting game, something that he was all too familiar with since he used it in his business practices.

Kales let his tongue flick out for a moment, a habit he'd gotten into when he was younger. He could form conjecture and theorize all day about what had gone on with her; but he preferred to have the cold, hard facts on these matters.

Flicking his tongue out again, he rolled his body in his version of a shrug as he moved through the house. It was market day again, Auntie had gone out earlier with the twins and Jacques for some shopping. Since Fina was practically Auntie's shadow theses days, it meant she was probably out and about. Good thing that the new collar had come in. When he told Auntie it was coming in, since the charmander refused to even look at him, he had seen the smaller female droop.

He didn't have any business to take care of. Any urgent messages had been sent off earlier, and any other male had been taken into town to be dropped off while they shopped. Since nothing pressing was demanding his attention, at least nothing that could be rushed, he ventured towards his library. Unlike some other people of his station, he actually liked to have the books for the value of what was in their pages rather than just the value of the item itself. He could name dozens of so-called personal libraries that might only have a handful of actual books, the rest being colored blocks. Not in his home. It was either real volumes, or simply find some ornaments to decorate the empty shelves.

Pushing the door open, he paused for a moment to breath in the rich scent of aged books. Movement caught his eye, followed by a glimmer of light as someone shifted in a chair. A head lifted and Fina peered at him over a book. The charmander's eyes widened as she sank down into the chair, book lifting quickly as if she were trying to hide behind it. Kales shifted into the room and flicked his tongue at her, "I thought you had gone with Auntie to the market."

He could feel her eyes boring into him as she tried to vanish into the seat. "She thought it was best that I stay here." He nodded, just imagining how the female might react to the press of people one would find in the market. Especially when she was trying so hard to vanish while there was plenty of distance between them.

Dark tongue flicked out slowly, tasting her fear as it filled the library, drowning out the glorious scent that usually hung in the air. "I trust you are keeping your tail from the books? I am rather fond of them." She gave the barest of nods and lifted her tail, making one of his brows arch. Someone had turned up an old lantern from somewhere and modified it to house her tail, keeping it safe inside of the glass and metal chamber. "Bravo, very resourceful." He smiled at her and angled his head slightly, looking at the book she had in her lap.

Fina was doing her best to shove herself down into the chair, her heart pounding in her chest. She'd gotten too comfortable and absorbed into the book. Licking her dry lips, the female let out a little whimper as he moved a bit closer, looking at her book with his mostly closed eyes. She mumbled, "Thank you," and kept her eyes on him.

His tongue flicked out at her slowly, waving at the air in her direction. "So you can read?" He wouldn't have thought that she would have that particular skill.

She nodded, lips parting slightly as panic began to claim her. "Yes, learned how ages ago. Traded for some books from traveling merchants."

"Interesting." The arbok looked away, shifting his massive body around slowly as his relaxed hood shifted against his neck. "I always found this place to be extremely relaxing." He paused for a moment and let the end of his tail against a book stand. "How would you like to take care of the library?"

Caught off guard by the question, Fina blinked at him and sat up a little straighter. "What?"

Kales looked back at her, tongue flicking out again. "The library. Auntie is starting to get a little older and I would like to lighten her work load." He nodded, "Yes, that seems like a good idea." He indicated the room with his tail, "Spend as much time here as you wish. Just ensure you keep the library clean, dusted, the books organized and stowed, and inform me of any problems that might arise."

Fina blinked at him, confusion replacing the panic that had been threatening to consume her. She narrowed her eyes slightly, trying to find some catch in it. "And if I don't?"

Claiming a book from one of the shelves, the arbok balance it on his body. "Then you won't be allowed into the library. It is your responsibility now, take good care of it." Fina watched as he left the room, sitting up slowly to watch him as he exited. There had to be a catch, there was always a catch.

"There has to be," she hissed as she snuggled into the blanket, glancing at the door every few seconds.

Except there hadn't been. Not one that she could find at least. She was mostly left to her own devices, and most of her time was spent in the library. Occasionally Kales would call her to his offices and ask her to get a book or return something for him. Being around him still made him nervous, but he never moved from behind his desk when she'd be in the room. He watched her though. When she was in the library, helping Auntie around the house, and even if her bedroom, she could feel his eyes on her.

It didn't help that her entire body ached either. Auntie mixed up some medicine that helped, but she'd only give so much, saying that it'd be too easy for Fina to get hooked onto them. After her last experience, she wanted to avoid being hooked onto anything again.

The medicine didn't do much for her dreams though. They helped her get to sleep, but couldn't stop those nightmares that always waited for her, just inside the realm of dreams. The demons from her past, just biding their time until she was helpless. Only Auntie's nightly presence seemed to keep them at bay. The kangaskhan proving that even in sleep, she was too much for even those specters to handle. Auntie practically lived in the room with Fina, which was fine since the bed was more than large enough for the much bigger female to share it with her.

Which lead to an addiction that Fina had never even considered possible.

"I'm sorry Dear, but Tim is very sick right now and I've gotta watch over him tonight. And as good as you're doing, I don't want you around him either, else you might catch what he has." Fina glanced at herself in the mirror. She was certainly feeling much better, and looking it too. The hollows were gone from her face, body was getting back its tone, and her hands weren't shaking anymore. Auntie really had worked miracles with her.

She smiled at the older female. "It'd be selfish of me to keep you to myself when he needs you right now, wouldn't it?" That didn't mean that she wouldn't have begged if she would have thought that it'd help. But she knew that if she did, it might sour the older female's opinion of her. There was an ache there that she hadn't felt in a long time.

Auntie leaned in and kissed her cheek. "That's a good girl. Now, if you still need me after Tim's all better, I will gladly come back."

Fina returned the little kiss. "Thank you, Auntie. Make sure the little terror gets better? I'm supposed to be teaching them to read soon enough." Despite her fear when she first met the twins, they had grown on her rather quickly. It had started when Auntie talked her into reading them a bedtime story, stating that her eyes were tired. Then the pair had worked their charms on her, pleading and begging for stories almost every night before turning in. "Tell him once he's better, I'll come and finish the book I started reading to them."

"Oh he'll love that." Auntie gave her cheek a pat. "Now you get some good sleep too. Be needing it if you're going to start on that next set of shelves tomorrow."

"Yes, Auntie."

Smiling, kangaskhan started up the stairs, leaving Fina standing there for a moment. Finally, after a long moment, she let out a little whine and lowered her head. Could she do it? Could she really sleep alone, in a bedroom that was so easily accessible to... There was no choice of if she could or couldn't, she had to. No way to get around it, she'd have to brave her own bedroom alone tonight. Still, she had been here just about two weeks and Kales hadn't shown the slightest interest in attempting to bed her. Fina brought her tail around, using it as a light as she headed for her bedchamber. It still didn't mean that he wasn't going to try something now.

Fina crept into her bedroom, being as quiet as she could as she eased the door shut. She looked towards the door, seeing a flicker of light from the other side. She'd been into his suite once, while he was in his office. What he had made her bedroom look like little more than a closet. His bed might very well be larger than her entire room. She couldn't fathom sleeping in that thing, especially since she could practically get lost in her own bed when she was alone in it.

A shiver raced through her as she looked at the door again before slipping into the covers. The charmander wiggled down into them and faced the door, eyes shutting for a second before snapping open. Was that a rasp at the door? Had the knob jiggled? She lay there for the longest time, just staring at the door and barely daring to breath. There was no invasion, no banging at the door, nothing. Her eyes started to drift closed before snapping open again. Her hands shook as she held tight onto the blanket, trying to fight off the sleep that threatened to claim her. It was little use though. Auntie was always an early riser, and insisted that Fina join her every morning for a good, hot bath. Then most of the day was spent doing one form of work or another. So it was of little surprise when her eyes finally shut and her breathing steadied.

Kales was reading in his bedroom, a lamp glowing at his bedside to illuminate the book. Occasionally, his tail would lift and turn the page, eyes scanning over the book that rested on the bedside stand. However, it was getting to be late and he would have to get some sleep soon. He'd have to start traveling again soon, so many things were demanding his attention.

Just as his tail was moving to shutter the lamp, a scream ripped through the air. His head jerked towards the door that led to the charmander's bedroom as another cry split the air. It was the type of anguished howl of a soul being tortured. The noise that would send chills racing through even the hardest of males. Before he could even think about investigating, the arbok found himself shoving his weight against the door as his tail slapped the latch. The door burst open, slamming against the wall with a thunderous crash as he lurched into the room. Fina bolted upright, eyes wild and cheeks stained. The charmander took one look at him and nearly screamed again as she scrambled backwards, pawing at pillows and covers as her spine pressed tight against the headboard.

"What is going on in here?" He hissed, heart pounding in his chest as his gaze swept the room for any intruders.

Fina's heart felt like it was about to explode as she whimpered, claws digging into the wooden headboard. "I...I had a nightmare," she squeaked, feeling embarrassed even as fear raced through her body. "It's n-nothing. Sorry I woke you."

She started to grab the covers and hide under them, but then he spoke. "Look at me." His voice had dropped in volume and taken on a soft drone. "Look at me, Fina." Very slowly, she peeked over the top of her covers and saw the arbok looking right at her. His eyes, which were normally only just barely open, were wide open. They were a rich, shining gold color, one she had never seen on a living being before. They drew her in, captivating her and becoming her whole world. His voice was soft, just a bare hiss that slithered into her mind and relaxed her. "You were having a nightmare. What about?"

The charmander shifted, relaxing her grip on the covers. "Creatures made of shadow and flame, eyes in the dark. Grabbing me, making me..." she trailed off into a choked noise.

Still the eyes held her. "You haven't told anyone about what happened, have you? Not even Auntie." A lump formed in her throat as she shook her head, unable to tear her gaze away from him. He hissed, tail slapping against the floor. "Your body is healing, but you are not letting your spirit. Pain is a poison, Fina. It is decay, and if you don't release it then it will rot you away from the inside. You must talk."

"I... I..." Fina felt her lip start to quiver as the room blurred. "Oh Mother Flame!" she wailed, burying her head into her hands as her body shook. A touch to her shoulder made her jerk and look over, finding that the serpent had slid part of his body up into her bed. For a moment, she was frozen, torn between pulling away and wanting to release the pain that had been building for so long. With a strangled sob, she threw her arms around his body and buried her face into his warm scales. Hiding herself there, she began to pour her heart out, telling him everything.

Kales reeled slightly, shocked as the charmander clung to him. She began to babble as she cried. For the life of him, he couldn't begin to understand half of it. Closing his eyes again, he slowly wrapped his coils around her, petting her back as she bore her soul to him. Petting her back gently he listened, understanding her tone if not her words. The arbok moved his body, getting comfortable as he cradled the charmander against him, letting her talk and cry.

Fina woke the next morning, finding herself tucked into the arbok's coils. He'd given her the day off to recover, with orders to see Auntie for some tea for her throat. She croaked out a thank you for him, rubbing her throat. Between her puffy eyes and tore up throat, she was glad for the time to rest. She'd only just made it to the stairs before Auntie came down, sweeping her back towards her room. The kangaskhan had tucked her back in with a mug of tea on the bedside. Fina only got a sip before she laid down for some more rest.

Over the next few days, she told Auntie more about what had happened to her before she came here. Imagine her surprise when the kangaskhan had revealed she had similar experiences. Except that where Fina had that thin veil of protection offered by her fertility, Auntie didn't even have that. She shivered, both thinking about what had happened to the older female, and about what the arbok had said that night. It did feel better to talk about it. Although now, each time she thought about Kales, her mind began to play the cruelest of tricks on her. Whenever her thoughts would turn towards the male, she would begin thinking about how good his body felt as it wrapped around her. How his touch had soothed her. About how he had laid with her all night, simply holding her as she bore everything to the snake. She found herself staring at the door each night, but not with the dread she'd felt before. No, there was something else growing there now.

It was several nights after her nightmare-induced breakdown that the door latch finally rattled again. The door crept open, hinges seeming impossibly loud in the quiet room. Fina stepped through and looked at Kales. The arbok was watching her from his bed. Heavy, muscled body coiled into a loose pile on the mattress. She looked at him, hand resting on the door, "Am I interrupting?" she nearly whispered, a part of her hoping that she was.

"Not at all. What is on your mind?" He pushed the stand aside, letting it swing away from the bed as he adjusted his coiled form.

Fina slipped past the door, letting it swing shut behind her as she padded across the thick rug that covered most of his floor. "I wanted to thank you for...you know." Her nerves were making her stomach churn and flutter as she approached the bed.

His dark purple, nearly black, tongue flicked towards her slowly. "No thanks are needed, Fina. You needed a push and I simply provided it."

Now she was at the foot of his low bed, heart hammering away in her throat. Was she really going to do this? Could she really go with it after everything she'd been through? "More than just that. You have been so polite and patient with me. A far cry from..." she paused, a foot up on the bed as a lump formed in her throat.

"Mmm, yes Auntie conveyed some of your past to me." She looked up and felt her heart tremble. He was watching her every move. A step, bringing her up onto the bed.

Fina let out a nervous giggle, "I guess it was hard to understand me the other night." Another step, having to move over part of his long body.

"I understood enough to confirm some of my theories." His body moved, scales rasping against the smooth sheets to make way for her. "And I imagine that speaking with Auntie has helped."

She nodded slowly, standing before him finally as his body rolled around her slowly. "I just want to..." Before she could lose her nerve, the charmander leaned in and delivered a peck to his lips. Fina's cheeks were burning as she leaned back. "I should go now..." The tip of his tail touched her lips as he shushed her gently.

He initiated the kiss this time. Lips pressing against hers as a coil pushed against her back, sliding over her spine. Fina moaned softly as the powerful body ran over her body. Taking a step closer, she gently pushed her form against his, head angling just a little to deepen the kiss. Each of their tongues took a moment to test the other's lips, sliding against them before retreating. She put a hand on his wide neck, leaning into the kiss with the softest of whimpers. The next time she licked at him, his tongue caught hers and wrapped around it. Her tongue tingled as it writhed against his, feeling slightly numb after he released it. She took a breath before putting both arms around his neck, tongue sliding into his mouth. Kales's slid around and past hers, dancing around inside of her maw. That tingling sensation spread through her mouth, far different from anything she'd felt before.

Another moan, this one louder, came from her as his serpentine body began to stroke against hers. He was touching her in so many places at once. Body writhing against her back, then her side, next her front. His carefully groomed and polished scales whispered against her body, a tender counterpart to the shockingly powerful muscles that lay just underneath. A shiver passed through her as he brushed over her thighs. This was no fearful tremble, not this time. No, this was a more excited quiver. She could feel a damp warmth starting between her thighs. She broke the kiss with a louder gasp as his body slid against her lower belly, making her legs tremble.

Kales shifted slowly, gently supporting the charmander as he planted tender kisses along her cheek, working his way down to her throat. Fina hesitated for just a second before leaning her head back for him. Lips brushed over her throat, as Kales voiced the softest of hisses. His tongue danced over her throat as he peppered her with gentle touches. "Your collar," he breathed, "take it off."

"What?" she moaned, hands stroking over his neck, eyes fluttering as one of his coils lightly grazed across her privates.

Biting at the leather collar, he tugged on it. "Your collar, remove it for now. It is in my way." The lips brushed over her neck, sucking gently as she reached up to fumble with the device. "While I think about it. You do not have to wear it in the house unless there are guests about."

Somehow, she got her fingers to work enough to release the catch and free her neck from the padded strap. "And outside?"

Hissing eagerly at the fully bared throat, he swept his lips over her flesh. "Always outside." That was a little disappointing, but it still felt good to toss the cursed leather strap over her shoulder.

Coils gently cupped her legs, pulling them out from under her. For a split-second, Fina panicked, sure that she was going to fall flat to the mattress. He was there though, those long coils cradling her like a living hammock. The kisses traveled down her chest as she was laid back. She lifted her head as the arbok's lips ran down to her belly, making her giggle a bit as he found a ticklish spot. The giggle turned into a low moan as his mouth brushed over her petals. His agile tongue flicked out and danced over her for a moment before slithering back. "You taste delicious, my dear Fina." She swallowed, feeling just the barest nervous jitter in her belly as his lips parted and pushed against her.

Her spine arched off his embrace as he eased his tongue into her, moaning louder now. Reaching down, she ran her claws lightly over his scales, mouth falling open as he took several deep laps of her insides before lifting his head again. "Simply divine."

She couldn't think of responding as he slid against her, scales gliding over her privates. Legs pushed against his thick trunk, moans slipping from her mouth as she arched and pushed against the tortuous teasing. Eyes rolled back in her head as his entire body shifted around her, sending waves and ripples of pleasure racing up and down her spine. Her only relief came when he paused for a moment and nudged something warm against her folds. The charmander was only just able to lift her head, body shaking since the male had managed to keep her right on the edge. His slit was hovering just above hers, the lips pulled back to reveal his member. In the light from the lantern and her tail, she could see that the male was in possession of two cocks, one standing proudly erect as the other lay there against his hide. She swallowed nervously, "Are you going to use... both those?"

Lips pressed against her cheek as he leaned forward and breathed into her ear. "No, only one is ever erect at a time."

"Okay," she huffed, watching as he eased forward. The pointed tip of his member eased against her folds before nudging her open. The charmander groaned, legs pressing against his body as he slipped in. There were soft little hooks along his length. Thankfully they were gentle against her insides, tickling against her walls as their bodies slid together. He lowered himself steadily, but she was squirming under him, panting at the feel of those ticklers brushing against her insides. Kales hissed softly at her as he pushed his body flush against her, the wider base of his member spreading her lips.

Instead of launching into a flurry of thrusts, the male began to push against her. Each thrust started at his head and rolled down his massive body. She moaned at him as it rolled over her, dancing back and forth across her body before passing through her privates and continuing onwards. The male only delivered a few of these before she pushed against him, calling out as she peaked, her liquid fire coating his length and running down his scaled body. Her arms held tight around his neck as her insides twitched around him, pulling at that thick length that was buried so deep inside of her. The arbok didn't relent as she gasped and writhed in his coils. Everything seemed that much more intense to her. The feel of his body against hers. How his ticklers rasped against her insides. The hissing, gentle kisses that landed across her features.

Fina lost all sense of time as she moved with the male, reveling in the feel of his powerful form being so gentle with her. Seconds were gone, fading rapidly into minutes. Minutes passed, turning into hours. Still he continued to pleasure her. Even as gentle as he was, Kales pushed her to her limits.

Claws scratched at his body as she voiced a low whine, body pushing against his. Gold eyes flashed under heavy lids as he looked at her before nodding at something in her expression. Lifting his head up, he let his hood flare out as he voiced a chilling hiss. The rolls moved faster down his body, each wave growing larger. His coils slapped against her groin as he loomed over her. With only the smallest of grunts, he pushed his body tight against hers. She could feel his coils twitch against her as he filled her full of his thick essence.

Falling back against his body, the charmander huffed, eyes drifting closed slowly. There was a sweet little smile on her face as he shifted her around, wrapping his body around hers almost protectively as she drifted off to sleep. Kales curled his body slowly and flicked his tongue out, tasting her scent against as he murred low in his throat.

A light knock made him lift his head, "Yes?"

The door, the one to Fina's room creaked open and Auntie peered in. "Ah, I was coming to wake Fina. When I couldn't find her... Well," the older female smirked as she spotted the glowing tail draped over his coils. "Should I hold off on breakfast?"

He chuckled low in his throat and flicked his tongue. "I'm thinking a late brunch will be more desirable."

Fina was humming happily to herself as she wove through the library. Just over a week had passed since she had finally approached Kales in his bedroom. In those seven short days he had shown her so much and helped her heal so much faster and better than she had thought would've been possible. She still had some nightmares. Mostly on the occasion that she would sleep apart from him, usually at his request, but they were quickly fading away. She might have been upset about being told to sleep in the other room. However, she understood it too well when he mentioned that he would have to start traveling. Normally, he would have been traveling quiet a bit; but he took time away to ensure she was settled.

Which he had finally left for a business trip the day before. She'd made sure that the arbok would be thinking of her during the trip, trying out a few different things with him. Including spending some time under his desk while he worked, tending to his needs. Her jaw was still a bit sore, but he had been surprised and pleased. Kales even promised to have a surprise for her when he returned.

She looked up as the library door creaked open. The twins nearly barreled into the room, but when they saw the look on her face, they stopped and grinned at her before shuffling in. Fina smiled and adjusted her own apron, smacking some dust off it. "There you two are. Ready for your reading lessons?" Jim stopped and looked at her, tilting his head before squeaking. He grabbed Tim by the ear, making his twin squeal and swipe at him. He dodged the strike with an expert skill before leaning in and whispering. Tim stopped and looked at her as well, a wide grin splitting his face. Both mankeys bore the same expression as they turned and scampered away. "Hey! Where do you two think you're going?" She huffed and put her hands on her hips, glaring towards the door. "Wait till Auntie hears!"

"What was that about Auntie?" the older female shuffled into the room quickly, heavy feet thudding against the floor.

Fina smiled a bit, feeling justified now. "Those little rascals ran off before I could even start to give them their lesson."

Auntie reached into one of her voluminous pockets and pulled out a wooden spoon. "They had a reason, old me something interesting." The charmander tilted her head and blinked as the kangaskhan held out the spoon. "Watch this." Confused, but more than happy to trust the female, she watched the spoon as it went through several flicks and waves. "Ah, I thought so," beamed the older female.

"Thought what? Why'd the twins run off to find you." She looked at the wide grin on Auntie's face, then the twins that were peeking around her and grinning as well. Fina blinked slowly, "You don't mean..." All three of them nodded and she felt her lips twitching into a little smile of her own. "You really think?" More nods and she felt herself start to smile so wide her lips began to hurt.

Auntie moved in quickly and grabbed Fina into a tight hug. "Ah my sweet little Fina." The charmander squeaked at the squeeze, feet kicking as she was picked right off the ground. The big female let her down, still grinning. "Go on with the lessons, I'll write up a message to send to Maester Kales."

Fina was dozing in bed when the door creaked open. "Fina?" She sat bolt upright and felt her heart leap at the sight of Kales. The arbok flicked his tongue out towards her as he moved into the room. "Had hoped to find you here." She felt herself flip flopping between wanting to leap from the covers and hug him, and wanting to yell at him for taking ten days to return after he sent a message back at them.

She settled for sitting up in the bed, covers sliding down to rest on her barely-showing belly. Hands fell to her hips as she voiced a low hiss. "And what took you so long to get home? Your letter said that your urgent business had been taken care of. What could possibly have kept you away from here so long when I have something so very important to tell you?"

The arbok's normally neutral expression shifted as his cheek twitched and his hood flared slightly, a sure sign that he was agitated. "I have spent several days on the swiftest train possible. There were so many issues that had to be patched that should not have been issued. Had to see several foremen relieved of their responsibilities and new ones put into their places." He rose upwards, making her sink into the pillows. "On top of all that, I have been faced with the nearly-impossible task of locating the child of a slave from her first breeding. The records are barely existent, so I had to be rather creative in hunting down a male of roughly the right age before narrowing them down based on traits. And then, after I found the proper one, I had to secure a place for him so that he would be more than just a servant boy as he grew up, and then a jack-of-all trades or breeder once he reached the appropriate age." His tongue lashed out of his tongue. "Do not think to berate me after I have found your first child and then put him into a position where he can have an occupation that is relatively safe, and have the opportunity to not only secure his freedom, but also visit his mother every so often."

Fina just stared at him, stunned as he flicked his tongue and sank back with a tired huff. "It has been a long, tiring trip. I will retire to my bed for now." He turned and started for his door, body moving slowly as he literally dragged himself to the door.

"I'm pregnant."

He stopped, tail on the latch. Turning his head, he looked at her and blinked slowly. Once. Twice. Then his head tilted a little. "Say again?"

Fina pushed the blanket down and ran her fingers over the swell in her belly. "I... I'm carrying your egg." He moved over, leaning in to nose at her belly, tongue tickling her hide. She purred and ran her fingers over his cheek. "Did you really do all that for him?'

He shook his head, "No. No, I didn't do it for him." He moved slowly and curled against her. "I did it for you, my dear Fina."

Master Kales, Merchant of Exotic Goods, is proud to announce the birth of his daughter, borne of his recently appointed mistress, Fina.

Attached to the announcement was an etching bearing a regal looking Kales, wearing his finest suit. Next to him stood Fina in a rather fitting, and lovely dress. A young ekans was draped across the charmander's shoulders, a bow perched on her head.