FSE

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The great hall was filled with dragons and gryphons. The gryphons of Kito Peak were not morphic, like Akio and the dragons, but they stood on two legs with the ease of years of practice. Clothing looked awkward on them, yet they wore the finest of silks and satins. Their leader, a large gryphon of ebony feathers with the hindquarters of a white lion, was standing next to Falqon when the black dragoness escorted her in. Akio glanced at him nervously before remembering her place, and she stood in her place with her paws clasped behind her back, studying the gryphon's muscled paws. She felt his intense gaze on her, and she resisted the urge to squirm.

Samsara spared no expense in dressing her for the banquet. Akio didn't have the chance to look around for other slaves, but she hoped she wasn't the only one dressed in such a ridiculous costume. Leather slacks with all the wrong areas cut out--"They're called 'chaps'," Samsara said--left her groin exposed, and a small fringed leather vest did nothing to cover her breasts. They were soft, and dyed a beautiful blue, but the outfit made her feel silly, almost more embarrassed than if she'd been naked. Indeed, naked was almost natural to her now.

"...a most wonderful gift," Falqon finished, then gestured to Akio. "My servant can vouch for her quality, though you should know, she comes with the best certifications."

"The wolf would make a fine gift herself, it would seem," the gryphon responded, his voice eerily low.

"If you would like to use her during your visit, I would be most willing to offer." Falqon's words slapped Akio and she struggled to keep the shock off her face.

"Perhaps in the morning," the gryphon returned. "Tonight, this one looks forward to sampling his gift."

Akio controlled her trembling; what a different world this was, where flesh was bartered like goods.

The gryphon was moving away now, and Falqon returned to his seat at the head of the table. He was acting in Lord Tyrran's place for the banquet. It seemed to Akio that the High Lord Tyrran did not deign to join in most of the tasks that kept his lands running. Falqon sat in on most of the councils, dealt with the city folk, divvied out the taxes.

A pillow was on the floor where Akio had to sit, and she did so gratefully.

As a preamble to the dinner, finger foods were brought out by other slaves and offered to the guests. Conversation ebbed away as a black fox dressed in violet and green motley climbed a table and began performing. Daggers danced around him in thin air. All eyes were on him, but Akio noticed the doors to the main hall were closed, and guards took places before them.

Shortly following the appetizers, course after course spread over the tables. Falqon fed Akio occasionally from his plate, and she sat patiently at his side like a loyal dog, there mostly for show. She noticed that she was one of a select few who were sitting next to their masters; at a lesser table, Jem and Nigh sat next to each other, with a four-armed lynx behind them.

The jester fox was still on the table, but seated now, his fluffy black tail in his lap as he gestured. Simple flicks of his fingers sent peas and turkey legs bobbing from their plates. Once, his attention was diverted while sending a gravy boat across the table, and it plopped into the lap of an unfortunate gryphon. The fool apologized profusely as the gryphon stood, feathers bristled and tail swishing--though he seemed to be in danger, the fox could not erase the smile still tugging at the corners of his muzzle.

Falqon cleared his throat, pulling Akio's attention back to her own table. The dragon stood, lifting a crystal goblet of wine. Slowly, the babble of conversation silenced as he drew attention. "My lords and ladies," he began, gesturing widely with his raised hand. "We dragons of the Geart tribe would like to honor our treaty with the great gryphons of Kito Peak with a gift to their liege." He turned, and all eyes followed, as Trick stepped into the room. Guards closed the doors behind her.

She approached the raised platform where the leaders and the head gryphon were seated. The calico was still wearing motley of black and white, but she also wore leather gloves and boots now, colored appropriately. She took the extended talon of the gryphon Lord and bowed deeply, her many bells tinkling in the near-silence. The gryphon accepted his gift gruffly, and without further hesitation, left with the feline on his arm. The guards at the doors let them through.

The celebration continued after that--dishes of nuts and dried berries replaced the savory courses, a fruity wine filled every cup. Creatures began to mill about. Falqon leaned in towards Akio, offering her a few cranberries and cashews.

"You may feel free to explore," he said, his breath void of the scent of wine. "I trust you will behave."

"Thank you, my Lord," Akio muttered. She was anxious to stand again; her feet were cold and tingling from sitting so long. With the treats in her paw, she rose quietly, looking around curiously to see if any of the other slaves were wearing clothes similar to hers. The lynx with Nigh and Jem was nude, but she saw a yellow avian wearing a brown studded vest and a very small, tight pair of leather shorts. The bird was androgynous, and it took several minutes of staring for Akio to decide that it was male.

Feeling less awkward about her dress, she meandered through the chatting crowds to lean against the wall and watch, nibbling on nuts and berries. On the wall across the room, Akio noticed for the first time two well-armored guards. Gryphons both, they seemed covered from head to toe in gleaming silver plate. Like the rest of the gryphons present, they were without weapons, but they were larger and plenty intimidating without them. Between them sat a glimmering, shimmering creature that was at once a gryphon, and something else entirely. Where the others were non-morphic, she was--and that was another difference. This one was the only female gryphon in the room. She was half tiger, the furred pelt rusty red with dark brown stripes, and a clean cream underbelly. Her talons were ash-toned, her face picked out with a small gray beak, dull amidst the fire that covered her phoenix foreparts. She watched the scene from a large pillow, guarded by the two at her left and right. Were they protecting her, or keeping others away?

"Pardon me milady," came a velvet voice, drawing Akio's attention away. She followed her ears to the right, surprised to see the jester fox in a low bow with his hat in his paw. He straightened and placed the belled cap back on his head, a wide and gentle grin spread across his face.

"I'm no Lady," Akio said softly, her ears laying flat as she felt a blush rise on her cheeks. My, he was handsome close-up!

The jester chuckled, canting his head to the side a bit as if they were sharing a secret joke. Akio smiled up to him, not quite sure what else to say. "Of course, but you are a lady, if not a Lady, and quite the lovely one, at that. But alas, that is not why I came over to you. If I had known you were so delicate, I would have come over to pluck you sooner. Fair one, would you bless this fool with a dance?"

Akio was suddenly unable to formulate a reason for declining. The jester reached out his paw and she placed hers in it delicately. "But there's no music," she stuttered, even as she walked towards the center of the room with him.

"There will be music," the jester commented, never taking his eyes off her. She suddenly felt even more self-conscious. He leaned in, pulling her closer as he said in a low voice, "Your master said that you would follow my instruction. He needs this little distraction. I won't make you do anything you don't feel comfortable with, but we shall certainly need to do more than just dancing."

Akio stared up at him incredulously, even as the apparently permanent grin on his face softened somewhat. Her heart started to flutter and she felt her cheeks heat up again, but her paw clutched to his even stronger. "I'll do what I have to do for Falqon," she resolved. The jester nodded and stepped up onto the seat at a table, pulling her up onto the tabletop with him. As promised, music began to play--a slow tune.

The fox pulled Akio against his body, one hand on the small of her back, the other still clasping her paw. They swayed in time with the music for a few moments. "My name is Fool, by the by, milady."

"I'm..."

"Agape--your master told me." The jester smirked, drawing her paw to his waist. Akio placed the other on his shoulder, letting him lead. "Agape is the unconditional love of the gods. Do you feel comfortable with your name?"

Akio frowned up at him, caught off-guard by the personal question. "It's actually 'Promise of Agape,'" she explained. "So, I suppose that means that I am the promise of love."

"It's a special love you promise," said the fox.

The music bubbled around them. Akio kept in time with Fool's steps, but the mood was dampened by the suddenly deep conversation. An uncomfortable air hung thick between them. "What about your name?" she asked softly. "What kind of name is 'Fool'?"

"A fitting one," he said. "A foolish fox! I am a fool by nature and a fool by profession. I am a fool adapt at fooling others. I can even fool your eyes."

Akio opened her mouth to suggest a more serious answer, but the jester tugged her paw up into the air and spun her around in time to the music. He stepped up so that she bumped into him in the recoil, but his paws slipped down to her exposed rear cheeks. "Let's love, not fight," he murred, staring into her eyes. Akio could feel his body through the thin cloth of his motley; he was toned, muscular. A lot of jesters let themselves go, but Fool took care of his body. Akio nodded and slid her paws between them, splaying her fingers on his flat belly in an attempt to get back into the mood.

The tone of the music shifted--the players probably were in on the act. Akio tugged on Fool's shirt, freeing it from the waistband of his drawstring trousers, slipping her paws underneath once there was room. He grinned down at her and pulled her hips against his. They were no longer dancing; the rhythm of their steps kept with the music, but it was more a show of seduction now.

"It's those two we need to distract," Fool whispered against her muzzle, shifting his hip with the beat of the music towards the two well-armored gryphons guarding the phoenix gryphon. The fox's nose trailed down, his fingers slipping beneath the leather on her legs as he nuzzled at her throat. Akio risked a glance to the two, and noticed that they were watching, but with no more interest than anyone else. Things were going to have to heat up.

The jester was already at work. While Akio was assessing the situation, Fool's paws slid around to her front. One paw cupped her breast and he bowed his head to lap at it, his long tongue nudging the nipple from beneath her thick fur. Akio brought her hands up, running one through the longer fur on his hackles, the other resting on his chest. She felt severely unschooled and unprepared to put on such a show, but Fool was not about to let her lack of experience discourage him. His free paw floated out to the side, and he lowered the other from her breast to her waist, pulling her lower body closer while he leaned over her. His grasp was firm enough so that Akio could not sit down on her own; instead, it seemed he was going to make her fall backwards, and him on top of her.

Fool's outstretched paw flickered, and Akio could feel a pressure against her back, as if the air itself was cradling her. She clung to him anyway, and he flashed her one of his sly smiles. Slowly he laid her against the table, and the strange feeling was replaced by the normal pressure of wood beneath her. Fool's bells jingled as he crawled backwards over Akio's body, trailing kisses and nips as he went, finally resting at her thighs. His paws gently spread them, urging her to bend her knees and open her legs. Akio's breaths came short, quick--suddenly, she was filled with doubt. Would she be able to give into the play with all these creatures watching?

Fool's hot tongue against her cool lower lips dissolved her fears. She was still new enough to the sensations to be overwhelmed by them easily. Akio rolled her head back and closed her eyes, giving herself into the experience. The fox's long tongue spread over her sex, cupping it, lifting the heavy outer lips as he lapped. Edging closer, his cool nose touched on her clitoris, sending a wave of pleasure down Akio's body. The tip of his vulpine tongue flicked between the outer lips, tasting her nectar. Again, but this time deeper, probing at her entrance. He slipped his tongue inside, nudging his nose against her to get deeper...

Akio hadn't realized how tense she'd gotten until she felt him pull away, and she relaxed; her paws unclenched, her back returned to the wooden tabletop. Fool had his paws on her thighs and licked his lips, grinning down at her, on the edge of a chuckle. Akio pursed her lips and pushed up from the table, spinning around to face the fool on her hands and knees, still having the piece of mind to give a show by raising her tail. Fool was still half-crouched, his feet on the table, paws between, and that long fluffy tail curled lazily behind him. The heavy scent of his musk hit Akio and told her that there was something more interesting still hiding behind the fox's arms.

Relying on her strength, Akio launched herself at him, hoping that he would be nimble enough to save them both from toppling over the table's edge. She landed with a thump, and heard the jester chuckling beneath her. "Feisty, milady," he commented, leaning up on his elbows as she slunk backwards, dragging her paws over his body. They stopped at the gold lacing of his breeches, tight already from his arousal. She felt him throbbing beneath her fingers as she worked them open, then finally pulled the cloth away.

Fool's awakening member stretched from a lightly-furred sheath, bobbing as it grew. Akio leaned in, sniffing at his strong male scent. It was very different from dragons, and closer to what her species would smell like. Suddenly shy, Akio glanced up at him, only to meet his deep blue eyes staring down at her. He smirked and brought a paw to his shaft, angling it down towards her and nudging her nose with it. Akio licked her nose and blushed, before taking a deep breath and opening her muzzle for him.

The tip was tapered, and the taste more pleasant than the dragon she was forced to take before. The size was far more adequate for her muzzle, and Akio was able to work her tongue around his length, tugging on it as she suckled, working her head slowly back and forth. Fool moaned long and low, leaning back on his elbows, but he never took his gaze from her. Salty fluid was already leaking from his organ, hot on Akio's tongue. She leaned to one side and brought her paw up, cupping his soft sac and squeezing gently.

Fool grunted, then leaned up and drew her head back gently, smirking. "Much longer and the show would have ended early," he murred. Akio looked down to see that a bulbous knot had grown at the base of his shaft and suddenly she ached to have him inside her. As if on cue, Fool leaned over her and had her on her back again, her legs spread wide around his hips, his long organ hard and hot against her lower lips. The jester's arms locked with hers, his paws behind her head, fingers twirled in the long fur of her hackles. He edged closer, kissing her neck, whispering. "I don't have to go inside you, if you don't want me to. I can fool their eyes, too."

Akio whimpered--as if she had a choice. She was blind to any other option. "Don't fool them," she breathed into his ear, arching against him.

He needed no further encouragement. Fool pulled his loins back mere inches, letting the tip of his sex slide between her slit, then pressed against her, pushing in slowly. Akio clung to him, these sensations all new and different--she'd been with no one else since the games. He stretched her, and she hugged his every inch, all the way to the base. The smooth knot rubbed against her sex, spreading her lips and stimulating the little kernel of pleasure at her peak. He worked slowly, gently, drawing it out. Akio forgot all about their audience.

The rhythm picked up; Fool's knot pressed harder against her. She irrationally wanted to be tied with him, to feel the heady spurts fill her up. She felt her orgasm climbing, building up--it was hard to breathe, hard to think about anything besides the tightening in her stomach and growing heat between them.

And then, Fool's paw slipped between them, his skilled fingers finding the little knob on her sex, and rubbed it in time with his quickened, urgent thrusts. Akio arched her back and howled, even as Fool pulled out of her and hunched over, his organ spurting onto her belly. Darkness prickled on the edges of Akio's vision, wave after wave of pleasure quaking her body.

The music had died long ago. Around them, the room was no longer silent. As Fool moved off her, one paw busy lacing his breeches, Akio fought the fatigue of afterglow and looked around. Her eyes widened and she scrambled up, suddenly very awake.

Steel sung through the air. The shouts that surrounded them were not cheers of joy, but death cries. Dragon battled gryphon. It was obviously a one-sided battle--none of the gryphons were armed, nor were they expecting to be ambushed at a feast thrown in their honor. She edged up against Fool, who had sat down at the edge of the table, and was making motions with his hands in the air.

"What's going on?!" Akio looked around them, still wide-eyed.

"I'll explain later," said the jester, sweeping an arm across the air. A gryphon that had been sneaking up on one of the fighting dragons flew backwards against the wall, his head cracking on the stone.

"What are you doing? Are we in danger?"

"They can't hurt us," Fool said, still gesturing in front of him, his gaze still forward. "I've put the strings all around us."

"Strings...?" Akio whispered, looking around. She didn't see anything standing between them and the battle waging all around. "I don't see anything."

"Neither can I," he confessed, making a grand sweep of his hands in the air, then pulling them together, twisting his paws as if wringing out a wet rag.

Akio flicked her ears back, unhappy with the lack of information. "What is going on?" she repeated.

"I told you," he said, his voice strained, "I would tell you when it's over." He turned to look towards Akio, and she saw that his paws were still clenched, inches apart, trembling with the effort. "And, Agape, it is far from over."

Before Akio could respond, a gryphon holding its neck stumbled into view. One talon was raised, clutching a bloody dagger�probably wrested from a dead dragon's claw. Akio opened her mouth to warn the fox, but Fool turned and jerked his paws apart. The gryphon froze, and then slowly began to fall. His body fell to the right, and his head rolled off to the left.

Akio stared.

"I don't really like to talk about it," Fool muttered. As Akio watched, he rendered several more gryphons helpless. She could find no words to express her feelings.

The fighting died down in what was probably only minutes, but time slowed down for Akio. It felt as if she watched Fool killing gryphons for hours. The jester lowered his paws and sighed heavily, lowering his head. "I shouldn't do so much, after..."

Falqon approached the table, unharmed. Akio blinked up at him in wonder even as the dragon rested a heavy hand on her shoulder. "You two did excellent work," he rumbled. "Agape, take Fool to my bedchamber to rest. Take the rest of the evening off."

The first thing the fox did when they entered the bedchamber was undress. He pulled his shirt over his head and stepped out of his trousers, letting them fall unceremoniously onto the floor. By the time Akio had the door closed, he was wearing nothing but a silver ring on a chain around his neck. Fool walked over to the basin by the bed and dipped his paws in, rinsing them off before splashing his face with the cool water. He patted his fur dry with a towel, then folded it up and set it beside the bowl. Akio watched him in silence.

He turned and smiled to Akio--a most disarming smile that might have made her feel better, had she not witnessed a massacre only minutes ago. Akio only frowned at him, and he chuckled, then plopped down on the bed. Fool laid back and sighed heavily. "I guess you would like me to explain things now," he said, looking over at her. He patted his hand on the bed, inviting her over.

"I'm not sure I'm allowed to sit on the master's bed," she said, hesitating by her rug. Fool laughed.

"If you want to know what's going on, you'll have to come and sit over here with me." He leaned his head up, tilting his head as if he were ashamed. "I'm a cuddler after sex."

"But--"

"Ah-ah," the fox said with a smile, scooting farther up on the bed, to lean up on the many pillows at the head. "Don't you worry about it, little lady. I'm a guest here. I'll take the fall--though I doubt there will be one."

Giving in, Akio crawled up onto the bed. The mattress was feather, very soft, and still warm where Fool was laying a moment ago. She laid out next to him and rested her head on his belly, looking up into his dark blue eyes. Fool seemed about to say something, and his paw twitched to pull her closer, but he relented. "It was a set-up," he said bluntly.

Akio flattened her ears. "I already figured that out," she muttered. "But why go through such an elaborate display? Why attack them at the banquet?" Suddenly, she remembered something. "And what happened with Trick? She left with the leader..."

Fool nodded. "Yes, she went with Silverhunt, to a bedchamber. No, no, don't look so scandalized, Agape." He chuckled, running his fingers through her hackles. "Trick can take care of herself. She has a talent, as well, like I do with my strings."

Akio opened her mouth to ask about these talents when Fool silenced her with a finger against her lips.

"Let me explain the banquet first, milady. You see, the gryphons of Kito Peak have been in tremulous alliance with the Geart Tribe for centuries. Your elders will have no doubt shared the story of their war over the shared lands, where the dragons and the gryphons fought together against the Moonstone Pack." he paused again, smiling innocently at Akio's suspicious stare. "Don't seem so shocked... I recognized your ceremonial name. I used to live on the Ori river, not far from the borderlands of your tribe. Being the only daughter of the white elder, you shouldn't be so surprised that many a wolf had your name on his tongue." Fool winked at her, then ruffled her headfur. Akio was not amused.

"Now, where was I... ah, yes. When two large tribes are allied, but don't trust each other--rarely does one tribe trust another--they send in spies. I was the spy the Geart Tribe sent to Kito Peak.

"Something else I forgot to mention--on the Mainland, there are other dragons. Different dragons--they call themselves Nexians. The King in Nexus is one of these dragons. We don't normally have to worry about them--they keep to their land and we keep to ours--but right now there's a terrible plague across the water. A certain breed of Nexian is being affected by the plague... the young prince has died from it, and word has it that the King has caught the plague as well. There is only one cure... well, at least we hope there's a cure."

Akio sat up, smoothing the fur on her chest as she took his words in. It was so much--the world was so much bigger, so different from life in her tribe. She'd heard of the King in Nexus, but had never put much thought towards it, since he was across the big water and had no real power over the tribal lands. A few Nexian dragons lived on the Otherland, but they were far north and never came down to her tribe.

Fool scooted back a bit, straightening his back. "Did you see the female gryphon there? The phoenix hybrid?"

Akio nodded. "The guards we distracted were watching her."

"Right--she's a firegryph. It's something out of legend... like the unicorns to the humans. It's said that a feather from her can cure anything. Fireshade--that's the firegryph's name--she's like a trophy to them. She's not even really a gryphon, but they've certainly brainwashed her to think like one." His voice became tainted with anger for a moment, but he reigned in his emotions to continue his tale. "At any rate, the gryphons had her, but were hiding her from the Nexians. They knew that she may be the cure for the plague that's killing them off, but they didn't care. I got word to the Geart dragons as soon as possible..."