Legacy of Siyu Chapter 8 by Siyu

Legacy of Siyu Chapter 8

Siyu, Adult, Adult Content, Alchemy, Alternate Society, Anthro, Anthropomorphic, Ball Fondling, Ball Growth, Balls, Bovine, Breeding, Buffalo, Canine, Cock, Cock Growth, Cock Worship, Conquest, Cum, Cum Inflation, Cursed, Deep Penetration, Deep Thrust, Dick, Domination/Submission, Dragoness, Ears, Ejaculation, Epic, Equine, Erection, Fantasy, Feline, Fondling, Forced, Forced Sex, Fucking, Gangbang, Groping, Hard-On, Heat, Horse, Humping, Hyper, Hyperphallic, Hypertrophia, Impregnation, Incest, Interbreeding, Kangaroo Rat, Kidnapping, Light D/S, M/F, MILF, Mild Abuse, Mild Bondage, Mild NC, Milking, Minor Bondage, Mystic, N/C, NC, New World, Orgasm, Penetration, Penis, Pheromones, Post-Apocalyptic, Predator/Prey, Predicament Bondage, Pregnancy, Prey, Pseudo-Rape/NC, Rodent, Role Reversal, Rough Sex, Semi NC, Series, Sex, Sheath, Size Difference, Size Queen, Story Progression, Story Series, Stretching, Tribal, Wolf, maleherm, mpreg

The story continues on, this time with a pair of familiar "brothers" and the changes to the society.!

A story commission I am buying from smokescale it's going to be quite a long one!

You can find this and many other stories at http://dragoncomputing.furrynet.com/

The Legacy of Siyu

Chapter 8

It was another day on the job. The daily grind as it was referred to jokingly. The muted moans of a lady in wanton need of sating filled the room. She was rocked back and forth, her belly sagging away heavily beneath her. It wasn't as good as the 'real thing', but it certainly felt better than a metal or stone statue. Sure it wouldn't put the fire out as well, but who had time to spend waiting in line to use the idols? And buying a high quality one was enormously expensive. The tall tiger grunted and shoved back with all her might, aching for release. She wasn't leaving without at least some satisfaction, even if it took hours.

Thankfully it didn't.

With practiced skill, she was brought to her peak in only a short while. Comparatively speaking. It was hard enough being a breeding stud when so many were so hungry for mating so often. Siyu's continued growth only made the job of pleasing the needy all the more difficult. She arched her back and cried out at long last, having taken a good forty-five minutes to get what she desired. Once the warmth of climax washed over her, putting out at least some of the flames, she grunted and stood up properly, removing herself from the two stallions beneath her. A look of muted relief spread across her face.

"Well boys, at least you're speedier than most around here. Sometimes takes me all afternoon to really get going. Thanks," The feline reached over to collect her things, delving into one of the pockets of her rather scant clothing. A handful of gold coins were produced and dropped onto the bed next to the two panting horses, "Mr. McKenzie... Mr. McKenzie." Her echo was less as such and more to address one stud, then the other.

They both offered the feline a nod and a farewell as she waddled her way out the door, forced to dip down a bit to squeeze under the door frame. They were getting taller and taller all the time. Soon every building would be forced to meet a new minimum height requirement.

The boys managed to sit up, still huffing from their exertion. It took at least two of them to please a lady anymore, and for good reason. Everyone was so stretched out from using Siyu's idols, the males, what relative few there were, were put to utter shame. Even though their lineage saw their own size scale upwards as well. It was impossible however to keep pace with the Great Father.

"Fifteen pieces. Pure gold. Not bad. You're getting better at this little brother." The taller of the two russet equines chuckled through his pants, sitting up carefully and carrying the other with him.

"I still think I'm dragging you down. You'd probably do better business with a more experienced partner."

"Oh hush. I can't let my little brother's babies go hungry, after all." He smirked reaching over to give the shorter horse's belly a tender rub. They were both rather far along. Another couple of weeks or so and they would likely be ready to give birth.

Collin blushed, appreciating the attention to his tightly stretched middle. He could handle flattery or doting well enough from outside sources, like clients, or even some of the other boys. But when it came from his brother, he simply melted. The smaller stallion, only a few inches shorter than the taller, moved a hand to rest over the palm caressing his active middle. From there, he leaned against the other stud, sighing quietly.

"How many have you given me so far? I keep losing count."

Clyde furrowed his brow softly as he began going through the mental checklist. There were a lot of them.

"Well, this is the sixth batch. You seem to hover right there around four or five per. So... this would make twenty-seven, twenty-eight depending on how many you're carrying. Why do you ask? Are you missing any of them?" The older brother tilted his head softly, quietly concerned.

"Oh no, it's not that. I'm happy with the homes they go to. They'll have a better life than we can provide. Besides, we still get to visit them from time to time so it's not like we'll be complete strangers. It's just," The younger brother sighed, turning to press his cheek against the larger horse's chest, "I wish I could return the favor... you know?"

Clyde chuckled and wrapped his arms around his little brother, pressing that impressively enormous belly of Collin's against his own nicely rounded gut, visibly smaller than the younger, clearly more fertile equine. But not by much.

"I know honey, I know. Don't worry yourself with such thoughts. I'm perfectly happy with the way things are. I have no regrets, and I want for nothing, not while you're my partner."

Collin kept his eyes closed, silently wishing they could just lounge like they were for as long as they wanted. But business was business and they had to keep up with demand. Reluctantly, he pulled himself away from his older sibling, standing, albeit somewhat unsteadily at first, then helped Clyde up.

"You say that every time."

"And it won't ever stop being true."

They pushed the door open into the hall, not even bothering to dress. Their particular 'place of business' encouraged nudity. But then so did the town in general. The warm climate removed any real need for covering up, unless it was meant to tease and entice, or genuinely protect during one's occupation. Being a male prostitute rarely required clothing.

The sounds of various women being pleasure could be heard through the walls, though greatly muffled. Soundproofing was quite common, but never perfect. It was somewhat looked down upon to completely silence the sounds of mating. At the very least, it notified a potential visitor that one was 'busy'. To make it completely silent suggested underhanded dealings, things no one should hear. The pair made their way down the reinforced stairs, meant to handle the kind of weight they all had to accommodate. The walls were decorated with paintings of the most renowned clients, the studs with the greatest reputation, and of course, the proprietor of the establishment at various phases through her life. From there, they reached the front where their employer sat waiting for new guests.

The lovely raccoon lady sat atop a comfortable oversized cushion, slowly but constantly stroking her exceptionally swollen middle. She was one of the local record holders for litter size. This time she had at least eight she carried, rendering her almost completely immobile. The boys approached the rather content looking lady and offered her stomach a gentle rub, something of a ritual for anyone passing by. Because she spent so much time so very large, she had made it a point to have only the richest in plush carpet she could get lining the floor. It was a deep crimson, soft underfoot, and likely heavily perfumed by the scent of the house's common activity.

"Miss Saleen," Clyde held out his hand with the fifteen gold pieces received from their 'duty', "Our most recent take. Any more clients?"

The striped woman caught the coins handed to her and slipped them into a purse she kept nearby for just such a thing. Her hands moved almost immediately back to her stomach as she let a strange sort of thrum rise up in her throat. They were getting active. She rather liked that.

"Not at the moment. You two have an appointment at three this afternoon though. Big customer, a lady from one of the core cities. What she's doing all the way out here in the sticks I'm not entirely sure. Maybe curious about our way of life... maybe interested in drinking in a bit of the local color." She winked to the two stallions, reaching out with one hand to give their swells similar attention.

"We'll be sure to treat her to a fun afternoon." The older brother elbowed the younger one knowingly, grinning a bit.

"Oh it's not just afternoon. She's renting you two for the entire night. She intends to stay until morning."

Collin turned to look at the stallion next to him, trying his best to conceal his distress. Clyde was able to detect it easily enough and voice concern on the matter.

"That's a little out of the ordinary isn't it? Why would she want to stay the night?"

Saleen shrugged, "I don't know, but she said she was happy to pay any additional necessary to cover the cost of occupying a spot for so long."

"Well, do you think maybe this sort of thing would be better handled by another team? Maybe a group of three or four instead of just the two of us?" The younger brother fought to keep his voice from trembling. He succeeded quite well.

The heavy raccoon shook her head, "I'm afraid not. She requested you two specifically. Direct descendants of the McKenzie line she said. If you ask why, well I'm sure I don't know. That's just what the client as ordered. I recommend you two rest up, eat a big meal for lunch, make sure you have plenty of strength and energy for tonight. She's going to want a good show."

"Alright, we'll make sure we're ready." Clyde turned and pulled his brother along with him, aiming to take their leave into the out of doors. He glanced apologetically at Collin and worked to usher him away from the rest of the locals once they were outside. Theirs wasn't the only house of ill repute in the decent sized village. The red light district stretched on for a solid quarter of a mile with plenty of choices for any lady who couldn't find the time to wait in line at one of the few idols available. All it lacked was a much more arid locale and it would look as though the whole town had been taken straight out of one of the stories of exotic lands had told about, westerns they were called. Many rival houses had one or two of their employees standing out in front of the wooden establishments, trying to attract customers. Their good-natured jabs at one another made for amusing banter when walking down the street.

Unfortunately, neither horse was paying particularly close attention. They had more pressing matters on their mind.

"All night. She wants to spend all night with us. She's going to find out. I won't be able to hide it. Not for that long." Collin was near panic.

Clyde squeezed his arm around his brother's shoulder as they walked, "Don't worry. We'll figure something out. We need to go see Fran anyway. Weekly checkup and all that. We can explain the situation to her. She might have a solution to our little problem. Or at least she might be able to show you how to keep things hidden for that long."

"I hope you're right," He paused as they turned down a different road than he expected, "Wait... the healers are the other way."

"You heard Miss Saleen. We need to be well fed and well rested by the time our customer arrives. I don't know about you but I'm starving." He shuffled along, carrying his bulky middle quite well in spite of the awkward size and heft. He deftly weaved in and out of traffic as carts hurried past, their drivers shouting for people to move this way or that. Harvest time was always especially busy. It might also explain why their client was interested in their little town.

A small, out of the way noodle shop catered to their needs, providing them with quite the feast. Thankfully, business at the brothel had been quite good this month so they were able to afford to indulge themselves a little. Clyde took to his meal with gusto, slurping up his soup and noodles expertly in between dumplings. Collin was just as hungry but took his time more than his brother, still preoccupied by what was on the horizon. He fidgeted a bit, wiggling his hips back and forth atop the impressively sturdy stool, needing to scratch that same itch everyone had, even his brother.

He didn't even notice the brilliant orange fox approaching the two of them. Her eyes flashed as she leaned in close, her bust and belly heavily accentuated by the change in posture.

"Hey there boys... you two lookin' for a good time?"

Clyde frowned and swallowed hard to clear his mouth, "We work for Miss Saleen. And you're out of your territory if you're looking for business here."

The vulpine leaned back up and lifted her hands defensively, "Woah, easy there. I'm not talkin' about that. I recognized your brands. I know what you two are," She gave the younger stallion's flank a soft pat, directly over the tattoo found there marking him as a member of the 'working class' as some referred to it, "What I'm gettin' at is that it must be hard work... all those girls, and the guys too, coming to you for relief. I bet it wears you out, puts a hell of a strain on your... production."

The older stallion sighed, "If you're looking to sell potency drugs and potions, you'd better have a license. The priestesshood would be rather upset to find someone practicing without being a certified student of the art."

Again the fox shook her head, "Nah, I'm sure you got all you need in that department. What I mean is more... 'recharging' so to speak. A little somethin' ta get you hummin' again, ready to please the next guest," With that, she reached around behind her into the folds of a cape hanging down from her shoulders, doing little to conceal anything but a portion of her back. From there, she produced a thin stack of paper, bound together in a rough, rudimentary fashion, "A little reading material for the boys to make sure they stay at attention. Five pieces per copy, whadaya say?"

Clyde frowned a little, looking over the crudely published 'book', somewhat skeptical about its contents, "And how do we know that what's in there is something we would enjoy?"

"I'll let ya have a quick peek, how's that?" She pulled the pages back towards her and thumbed through them a bit until she reached one in particular, "Some lovely drawings to go with the stories, in case reading alone doesn't quite do the trick for you."

The older brother peered briefly at the image provided, not thinking much of it initially. But as he studied it a bit further, he noticed a subtle detail that a passing glance would not have caught. There he saw a figure of a male, restrained, being used by a taller, stronger famale. What she was doing to him revealed a feature a male shouldn't have. To a passing glance, it would have been confused for the typical 'equipment', but not upon closer inspection. And such an idea was dangerous in this day and age. He reached out and took the 'book' from the lady's hand politely to get a better view. When he was sure of what he saw, he reached into coin purse and withdrew the amount she suggested.

"Is this the only copy you have?"

The fox smirked and dropped the gold coins into her own purse, pulling the strings tight afterwards, "Oh, don't want to share do you? Get a second copy for your brother here so he can't steal yours? Sorry, that's the last copy I've got, but I can let you know when I get more in."

The horse reached out and gently pulled the vulpine towards him, lowering his voice, "Look, you're probably new in town so I'll do you a favor. This sort of thing isn't really terribly widely appreciated around here. Peddling this could get you into a lot of trouble with the wrong people. If you're going to keep doing this, I suggest you develop a keener sense of who to market to. Before it costs you more than just money." His warning was genuine, and carried no malice behind it. The fox's face sunk somewhat as she realized what he meant, nodding briskly.

"Thanks... I... I'll be more careful from now on." With that, she hurried off out of sight. Clearly Clyde's reminder of the social climate rattled her.

Collin had kept to himself mostly, peering into his bowl as he ate, not wanting to draw attention. Such confrontations were an easy way to get dragged into disputes that could quickly escalate out of hand. The further he stayed from such encounters the better off he was. He didn't even need to look into the 'book' to have an idea of what it contained. He hunched forward as he slurped quietly at the broth his noodles swam in.

"Is it what I think it is?"

Clyde nodded, "Yes," thumbing through the roughly bound 'publication', "And then some. Pretty well made too. Whoever put this together has some artistic skill. The story from what I can tell so far looks like it could use some polishing though. It's a shame selling this sort of thing has to be kept to the back alleys. Too many prudes and elitists around here if you ask me."

The younger stallion shrank further, suddenly feeling his appetite fading. He only continued to eat for the sake of his litter. The rest of the meal was finished in relative silence. The 'magazine' was rolled up and tucked into a place in the older brother's almost nonexistent clothing to keep others from getting too close a look at it. He reached over and ran a hand over Collin's back, empathizing with the poor boy. He knew the lad's plight all too well. A firm, reassuring squeeze saw him relax a bit. Clyde paid for their lunch and thanked the cook for his skills as they left.

No more discussions were had. Their walk was taken in silence as they approached their destination. The town's core was the only place aside from the homes of the rich that possessed any buildings made of stone. Everything else was made from lumber. The hall of the idols was the largest structure, made to withstand even the worst weather. Just across the main street from it stood a similar building that had once been used for that very purpose. It was where the boys were headed. What had once been a smaller temple, converted to more a clinic of sorts, engulfed them. There were only a handful of others seated in the entryway, waiting for their turn to be seen by the healers and priestesses tending to the needs of their patients. Clyde ushered his brother to a place where he could sit down before turning towards the heavy-middled young lady holding a thin book and quill in her arms.

"Hello Sasha, good to see you again."

The rabbit brightened upon seeing the russet stallion, leaning up to give the taller fellow's cheek a fond little peck, "Hello Clyde. I take it you and Collin are here to see Fran?"

He nodded, "Yes, though we're probably a bit early. Is she available?" He returned her sign of chaste affection. He rather liked her, largely because she was one of the very few girls shorter than him.

Sasha nodded, turning about to head deeper into the building, her little cottontail waggling as she waddled, "Sure, I'll just go get her for you." She had become quite adept at managing to walk and write in her ledger at the same time.

The horse returned to his brother's side, not sitting down just yet, anticipating a short wait.

"Don't worry. We'll be okay. Try not to look so nervous. You're making everyone else uneasy."

Collin looked up from his fidgeting hands, glancing around the room briefly to see that he had drawn a bit of attention. Nothing serious. At least not yet.

"Sorry. I'm just... distracted I guess." He returned his gaze back down to his hands, then his belly as he began to stroke over the swell absentmindedly.

"I would be too. Just take a deep breath, sweetie. We'll get through this." Clyde offered his brother's domed middle a tender brush.

"The Brothers McKenzie?" Sasha called out having returned presently. They both turned, the seated one climbing to his hooves in a modestly labored fashion, "Fran will see you now. She's in the third room to the left."

Clyde offered his thanks and a warm smile. As Collin passed, the playful tan bunny reached out and offered his rump a gentle squeeze. While they were regular customers of hers, she was one of theirs as well, and she'd taken a bit of a shine to the more bashful of the two ponies. The two boys proceeded deeper into the former temple, making their way to the room in question. There they took their seats, waiting for Fran to join them. She did presently.

"Punctual as usual I see. Always good. How are we doing today?" The pale green figure stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. She was tall enough to almost strike her horns on the frame as she walked in.

"We're both well. No real complaints other than the usual." Clyde smiled.

"Glad to hear it. Let's go ahead and have you both a look over. You're both due... what... three weeks from now?"

"Two weeks. And then it begins all over again." The older brother chuckled as the lady felt over his bloated stomach. It wasn't a gesture of affection, she was examining the stallion. It still didn't keep him from enjoying the attention.

"Right, two weeks. Then you two get a bit of a rest. It's a shame you don't get as much business when you're flat bellied. Oh well. Fashion of the times I guess."

"Yes, I suppose it is," Clyde turned to glace at his brother briefly, "Speaking of the times... I don't suppose you've heard anything?" It was something of kind of code speak between them. Even when they were told they would have complete privacy, you could never be sure if someone wasn't listening in.

The wingless dragon shook her head, still squeezing gently to feel over the horse's stomach, "No, nothing new at least. Just rumors and hearsay. I don't see the climate changing anytime soon."

"That's a shame." Collin lowered his gaze, frowning sadly.

Fran turned to gaze over at him, finishing her examination of his older brother. Deftly, she slipped over and began examining the younger horse, quite nimble in spite of her own bulky load.

"I know it's tough, honey. I wish I could help you out with that. But until the inner cities pull their collective sticks out of their collective asses, I'm afraid it's just going to have to stay a secret."

"About that... we've got an appointment today at three. She wants to stay the night." Collin's concern was audible. Fran nodded as she sat back, tapping her chin idly as she pondered.

"Right, right... and you're not sure you can keep it hidden the whole time. I gotcha. Need something to help... mask things... as it were. I think I've got just the thing for you. It might be a little uncomfortable but it should help," The dragoness stood and waddled her way over to the bag she had dropped on the counter near the door. She reached in and pulled out a small clipboard and quill. Quickly she scribbled away on the paper held there and removed the page she wrote on, "It's not exactly a prescription but it should help. Take this to Connie down in the red light district. She runs a crafts shop that caters to... well... your clientele. She'll be able to make something just for you two. Once you see it, I think you'll get the idea of how to use it. I recommend you both getting one, help allay suspicion. And double up on the cream I gave you, even soak a small cloth pad and press it into the affected area and use this gadget to hold it in place."

Collin nodded, reading over the piece of parchment only to find the writing somewhat distressing, "Are you sure about this?"

Fran nodded, giving the younger stallion a gentle pat on the shoulder, "If you don't get too rough, it should be okay. Besides, you've got another reason to take it easy. You two are about to pop any day now. I've already gone ahead and made myself available for two weeks around your due dates. If you can get some time away from work around when you're due, we could just skip town for a few days."

Clyde frowned and shook his head, "We've been trying to arrange it. We'll be short-handed as it is. I don't think we'll get more than the day it happens and maybe a day or two after."

"I see. Well, you know what to say when you get here to make sure I get to you first." The green lady gave both boys a gentle squeeze.

"And we cannot thank you enough for all that you've done." Clyde returned the affectionate hug.

"And you'll never have to. S'why you boys give me a discount!" She winked playfully at the pair as she turned to leave, their examination complete, "Remember! Take it easy!"

The sun had begun its trip back down from its apex by the time the Clyde and Collin returned to 'Ms. Saleen's Home for Boys'. It wouldn't be long before their guest would come calling. The two stallions strolled in casually, each one carrying a cloth bag with a curious emblem on the side. The raccoon seated near the front door, seemingly perpetually, caught sight of their spoils. Were she able to, she would have leapt to her feet and rushed the both of them.

"You went to see Connie!?" Out flew her arms, reaching towards one of the bags.

Collin and Clyde both paused, then looked at one another quietly, as if confused, "Yes... we did. Is that bad?" Apparently the shopkeeper's reputation preceded her.

"Why on earth would you need to go there!?" Ms. Saleen did not sound upset, merely shocked. She snatched the bag from Clyde as he offered it for her to examine. With great haste, she opened it and peered inside. She furrowed her brow at the sight before her.

"You said our appointment was with someone very special. We just wanted to be prepared for... whatever might come our way." The older brother smiled.

"You two have never had trouble with long runs before. You've each got more stamina than two or three of the others put together." The raccoon handed the bag back, still puzzled but not looking down on them for their purchase.

Clyde simply shrugged, "We've never pulled an all-nighter before. And we certainly don't want to disappoint. This should help keep that from happening. These are actually pretty neat. There's an internal mechanism that make the end flex when the strap at the end is tugged, and it's all covered in this new substance they've been taking about back in the big cities. Connie says it's called 'rubber latex'. They say it's made from a special kind of tree! Can you believe that!?"

"Made from a tree? That doesn't sound terribly comfortable." Ms. Saleen wrinkled her nose at the prospect.

"It's not made of wood if that's what you're thinking. And unless I'm mistaken, the original tribe used to use wood frequently in place of the real thing, or anything better suited." The horse simply grinned.

The raccoon waved her hand dismissively, "Whatever works for you two. Just didn't think you boys were interested in that sort of thing."

Clyde grinned even more broadly as he took his brother by the wrist and headed deeper in, aiming for their room. The door was shut shortly thereafter and they both sighed in relief. Collin was finally unable to contain himself any longer. He trembled uncontrollably.

"That was too close. She could have started asking questions. Questions we don't have an answer for! She's known us too long for us to do anything like this without it being noticed!"

The older stallion wrapped his arms around his brother, giving his cheek a kiss, "It's okay. She isn't going to find out. As far as she knows, we're just trying to make sure we put on a good show."

"If she finds out, she'll fire me, maybe both of us! She may even turn us into the authorities!" He was beginning to panic. He had good reason to.

All Clyde could do was hug and rock his brother, hoping to sooth the terrified young man, "If she finds out, then we'll run. We'll just grab our things and leave before anyone can find us. I promise nothing bad will happen to you."

For a good fifteen minutes they huddled together, keeping their voices low to not be heard. Eventually, Collin calmed down again. It wasn't the first time he'd broken down over the issue. The social landscape wasn't terribly helpful. It kept them both on edge, always on guard, careful not to let even the most subtle of hints slip. Clyde tried to comfort his brother with an abundance of confidence. It did little to quell Collin's sense of reality surrounding the matter. He would be discovered. Sooner or later, someone would find out, and it would lead them both to ruin.

When at last the panic had passed, the boys both got to work on their preparations. The new 'toys' were moved into position and the cream Fran had continuously provided was applied, heavier than usual. Eventually, there came a knock at their door and Clyde waddled his way over to it. The panel was slid open and there stood one of the other studs waiting for a client, a bull, not quite as tall as the two McKenzies, but certainly an impressive sight none the less.

"Miss Saleen wants to see you two. She says you've got a customer."

Clyde nodded, offering his co-worker a bright smile, "Thanks, we'll be down presently." He turned to gaze at his brother, seeing a mild wave of apprehension pass over him. With a cock of his head, he gestured for Collin to follow, taking his hand once he was close enough. His fingers wrapped around his brother's palm, giving it a knowing squeeze that was his covert way of saying 'we'll get through this'.

They clopped down the stairs carefully and made their way to the front hall where their mistress sat greeting all her guests as they passed by. Standing immediately in front of her was a towering figure of a woman, intimidating in her own right. She was russet in color, thick in build hinting at tremendous strength, and emblazoned with the finest silks and jewelry. The buffalo was clearly a woman of the upper class from the central cities. The emblem embroidered on her fashionable yet very proper clothing told the boys enough to rekindle their fear.

Collin squeezed his brother's hand all the tighter, and Clyde returned the gesture. It would be an interesting evening to say the least.

"Boys! Thank you for your punctuality! Mrs. Akako, these are the two I spoke to you about, Clyde and Collin McKenzie. Clyde, Collin, this is Mrs. Gang Xi Akako, member of the high council. She has come all this way to take a tour of our little town, and take in some of the... local culture."

Member of the high council, Gang Xi Akako, taking the Father's name as her family name. She wasn't just a woman of high social status. She was directly descended from the very first Yera, Chanda. Her bloodline must have been virtually pure, if not completely.

The boys both bowed as far as their gravid stomachs would permit them to without falling over. The bovine gazed down upon them, at least two feet taller than either of the boys. Her eyes locked on them in a hard stare, piercing through to their very souls. Clyde remained calm, but his brother seemed quite nervous.

"More impressive than I expected. I had heard stories of the male breeders from the outlying provinces. They did little to excite me. McKenzie was it? Descended from the same McKenzies that served among Gangxia's first trading partners close to a century ago?" She knew her history.

Clyde nodded, putting on his brightest smile, "The same. Hopefully we will be able to live up to the reputation our family has developed over the years. Won't you come this way? We'll show you to your room." He stepped back, bowing forward as he cleared a path for the tall woman.

"Your manners are a sight better than most I've seen in this town. Maybe there is hope for the outskirts after all." She smirked, letting them know she was attempting to jest, even if it did sting a bit. She strolled forward, her powerful legs carrying her weight without any difficulty.

The older stallion forced a chuckle in spite of the mild insult, "We so rarely received guests anywhere near your stature. I'm sure it is just that many are out of practice. If you or others of your station were to visit more frequently, I'm sure we'd all get back into the habit." It was his turn to disguise venom under the thin veil of charm. It was generally agreed that the 'higher ups' didn't come out this far from the cities to keep from 'dirtying' themselves. Anyone who broke that mold did so usually with some unpleasant purpose, leading to an air of disdain for the aristocracy.

Mrs. Akako was incredibly astute and aware of herself. The comment was not lost on her, "Let's not mince words. I know towns such as yours prefer we not visit. There is a considerable divide present. One that if left unchecked could threaten to rip into a tremendous rift and fracture our country."

Clyde bit back his tongue realizing how exacting the woman's intellect was. His distaste was swapped for curiosity in that instant, "And you wish to prevent that from happening?" He had slipped up past the buffalo to lead her onward, his brother remaining stone quiet.

"I do. It's why I'm out here. I'm to... take in some of the 'local color' as I've heard others describe it. I will relay what I find to the rest of the council so that a proper assessment can be made."

"Assessment for what if I may ask?"

Akako rather matter-of-factly replied, "Re-integration." She sounded slightly annoyed with the topic, as if it were something she was forced to speak about at length rather regularly and had grown tired of repeating the same issues and topics of its conversation.

"I see... I didn't think that was still being discussed," He read her mood and quickly shifted gears, fortuitous timing that it was with their arrival at his door, "Here we are. It's a little small, but it's very comfortable. I hope you will find it to your liking." He slid the panel open revealing the bedroom in question. It was indeed fairly small, just large enough for the three of them to occupy and move about without needing to ask one another to step out of the way. The bed took up most of the space in the center of the room. It was little more than an extra durable mattress resting on the floor itself with several layers of cloth--sheets and blankets mostly--covering it. The house's laundry bill was quite extensive so it was something of a common practice to keep as many layers present as possible and remove one or two at a time as needed.

Akako stepped in and looked about, placing a small satchel she carried on a narrow chest of drawers before crossing to the window on the opposite side. She ran her hand across the smooth pane allowing her to view the outside world.

"Glass windows. Your house must do very good business. Such things out this far are something of a luxury."

Clyde nodded, but before he could respond, Collin stepped in to do so for him, finally managing to get his nerve up enough to speak, "We've a glassworker in town who has learned of a faster method to making the panes. It's not quite as strong as what you might find on the more impressive buildings in the capitol but they're lightweight and easier to install. They do an excellent job of keeping the winter wind out."

"A faster method you say? Impressive. I might have to pay this glassworker a visit and find out what she does differently," The bovine woman turned and gazed at the younger horse, grinning a bit at him, "You finally spoke. I was beginning to wonder if you'd had a tongue at all. Glad to see you haven't forgotten it's there. Now, if you two aren't offended by the request, I'd like to skip the pleasantries and 'get down to business' as it were. It was a very long trip from the capitol and I've not had a chance to pay the local shrine a visit."

The two boys nodded and the door was closed. It was in that moment that the lady noticed something a little unusual about these two. Tucked neatly up under their tails was a large, round, flat object. From around its base hung a wide piece of leather pulled tight arching up between the stallion's legs, connecting to a pair of brass rings; one encircling his pendulous swells, the other wrapped around the base of his impressive, throbbing shaft.

Ordinarily, it would be a point of curiosity how such a thing was able to remain in place but the buffalo was familiar with such 'instruments'. With a single finger, she reached out and pressed against the base of the artificial length the younger of the two brothers had concealed in his bowels. It startled him, quietly stealing his breath away. With a jerk, he spun about, his hands moving to protectively cover the dark, flexible object protruding from his rump. His cheeks flushed profusely as he stared wide-eyed up at the noblewoman. Akako was similarly stunned, though to a greatly reduced effect.

"I'm sorry, did that hurt?"

Collin shook his head, trying his very best to conceal his growing paranoia, "N-no... it just... surprised me. It's a little... tender in there."

The woman nodded, moving to give Clyde's 'toy' a similar show of interest. His reaction was a bit more what she expected. As she pressed against the long, rather girthy object lodged in his rectum, he shivered and began to spread his legs a bit. It amused her and she continued to hold the pressure there.

"It's rare to see boys using these sorts of things. Then again, it's rare to see boys at all. At least in the core cities. Mind if I ask why you've got those in?"

Clyde began to grind ever so subtly against the hands pressing his 'appliance' deeper into him, making it shift within him. The stimulation forced his words to come in more of a breathy fashion than he desired, "Normally... we wouldn't need to use them... but... since you're... going to be here... for the whole night... it was prudent to... get a little help."

The younger stallion nodded, moving his hands away from his backside to fawn over his swollen middle, one of his palms dipping lower to stroke the rigid spire mashing up against it from below, "We're not the Great Father after all. We need a little motivation keeping ourselves in... 'fit condition'. It's connected up front so that even if we're 'on top', it pulls and makes it move inside us. That way, no matter what we do, we stay aroused."

Akako nodded with a chuckle, shoving her palm against Clyde's rump firmly, mashing the rubber intruder in as far as the base would allow. It made him moan. The boys' arousal was quite pronounced by this point, hanging heavy in the air and even seeping into the hall a bit. It was beginning to have the desired effect on the buffalo.

She closed her eyes and inhaled strongly through her nose, drinking in the scent, "You may not be Father Siyu, but you do take after him. If you two were to ever visit the core cities under the right conditions, you'd have a riot on your hands pretty quickly. The shrines and their statues work well, but nothing quite beats feeling the real thing."

The bovine's other hand reached out and gripped Clyde's shoulder, pulling him towards her own engorged abdomen. The hand that had been on his rump moved to grip the younger brother, dragging him over as well. Her belly was a perfect dome, covered in an oddly luxurious pelt. She had been pampered quite a bit back home. They could even smell the perfume her servants used after her bath.

The warmth of such a large body did not go unappreciated by the boys. Their hands began to roam over the buffalo's motherly figure, stroking every curve they could reach. A deep, low rumble from above signaled to them they were on the right path. It was a bit of a reach for the two boys, but they managed to pay the lady's chest similar attention. Under their efforts, a soft moo escaped the russet woman and a thin trickle of sweet, rich cream began to seep from her breasts. She was rather far along. Another couple of weeks, a month at the most, and she would be ready to give birth. Collin couldn't help himself as he nuzzled into the gravid stomach, able to feel the subtle shifts and kicks of her young.

"How many are you carrying?"

Akako shifted to sit atop the mattress behind her, tugging the two stallions with her, "Eight. It's my largest litter to date. The more the merrier I say."

Immediately the younger of the two horses was jealous. He'd only managed four at the most. Here sat a perfect specimen of motherhood carrying eight calves and able to do so without any serious difficulty. How he longed to be so lucky.

"It must feel marvelous being so heavy."

The buffalo nodded, resting a hand against the young man's cheek, her eyes sliding shut as she sank into the moment, "It does. Every time my litter gets bigger, the more I enjoy it. Now, I think we've talked enough," She slipped her hand down to Collin's rump, pressing against the base of his 'appliance' to make him quiver. And quiver he did, "I'm ready to get on to the main event."

Clyde let a sly little grin tug at his lips hearing her eagerness. The bulk between the three of them would be awkward but manageable. After all, they were professionals. The older brother slipped around behind his younger sibling, whispering into his ear briefly before they changed position. Collin shifted over onto the mattress and relaxed there on his back. Clyde meanwhile guided their client over to him, her back still shown to the supine stallion. Before she could realize what the boys were doing, she felt one of them already pressing into her moist, supple folds. It surprised her how skilled they were with misdirection. They couldn't compare to Siyu's endowments, so the boys of the outskirts developed other tactics to make up for it.

Collin grunted softly as the large woman came to rest on his hips completely, pinning him to the bed. Clyde continued his own work, fawning over the bovine's motherly swell to entice her to lean back. She didn't need much coaxing. She reclined until she could feel the younger stallion's own gravid middle pressing against the small of her back. Already she was impressed with their skill, losing herself in the sensations rising up from below. She didn't even notice as the horse in front of her began to slide underneath. She gasped as a second length joined the first, both of them impressive in their own rights. Together though, they moved and twisted against one another, creating an experience no single lover could provide.

It stunned her.

Cries of elation, though somewhat muted, began to filter out into the hallway. The subtle sound of the mattress compressing and stretching beneath the three was completely drowned out. Friction began to build already between the lady's legs as the Brothers McKenzie fell into their usual rhythm. One thrust forward, the other retreated, then they changed directions. Each time they turned one way until they reached as far as they could, then turned back the other direction, brushing across every inch of the lady's inner world as they could reach. Having come from a long line of ladies acclimated to the steadily growing generosity of their Great Father, there was quite a lot to reach for. It gave them a great deal to explore. That was another advantage they had. They could focus on a single region then move on methodically, grinding this way and that, never hitting the same patch twice until they brought their client near the edge of climax.

Akako was shocked by how quickly she felt herself drawing near what promised to be the first of many orgasms. It lacked the strength she was used to, but the speed at which it hit her made up for it. The buffalo shivered and squeezed her eyes shut, huffing gently as she pushed the building explosion away as best she could. The longer she could draw it out, the more powerful it would be. With how talented the boys were, she wouldn't be able to hold out long. She was used to size and strength, not this new tactical, surgical stimulation. After surprisingly just a few moments, perhaps only five, she found her spine stiffening and her lips parting to permit light gasps. Moisture soaked her thighs as well as the laps of the boys under her. She was right on the cusp. There was only one thing left needed to 'finish' her off.

Just as she was about to give the boys the order, she felt it. Two warm bursts flooded into her, heating her nethers from within and soaking her walls. The stallions below arched their backs, pressing as deeply into their customer as they could manage, pumping their generous essence into the bovine's womb. Were she not already pregnant, she would have been after tonight. Akako cried out in a muted noise of surprise and glee. The telltale tingle she longed for passed up her form from below, leaving her quivering just lightly, as if a chill had claimed her. They lacked Siyu's volume of course, but it seemed that with their other skills, what they offered was just enough to bring it all home. The buffalo sighed and slumped a little atop her 'escorts', grinning lightly.

"I'd call that a good start... I certainly hope you two don't need long to recover."

"We don't." That was all Clyde offered before renewing his bucks. Collin joined in at almost the same time. They knew to strike while the iron was hot, and aiming at an as of yet unused region within the lady's tunnel. It caught her off guard and she inhaled sharply. They couldn't be ready to go again immediately could they?

Suddenly the big city girl was beginning to think she might be in a bit of trouble with these two country boys.

Four layers of sheets and at least three hours later, the trio was still busy. Things were threatening to end up rubbed raw at this point so a break would have to be had soon. It would be the second they had taken so far. Akako had finally managed to hit her stride, able to compose herself in a manner that allowed her to take full advantage of the purchased time. Clyde and Collin suddenly found themselves straining to keep up, but the lady didn't seem to notice. They managed to conceal their exertion quite well, and change tactics to keep things fresh and exciting. As they each came to the latest in a long line of orgasms, the near perpetual motion they had maintained came to a halt. The trio panted lightly, their limbs and core screaming from the exercise. It was kind of impressive how long they had maintained their pace, even with the previous break. The buffalo was beginning to think there may be something to this particular service.

"You two make a compelling argument," she snickered, "I might have to invest in franchising your employer's establishment."

The boys relaxed as best they could, one still pinned under the big girl, the other leaning back away from the enormous motherly dome before him. Clyde pulled his lips into a tired smile, reaching up with a hand to stroke his own gravid middle. The little ones always got active when he was 'on the job'. They tended to drift back and forth between being lulled to sleep by the motion or being stirred awake by it. The older brother relished the sensation of movement.

"I guess that means you're satisfied with us so far. Good. Hopefully you city folk will look a little kindlier on us yokels after you share your stories."

A large, dark palm reached forward, pressing against the stallion's gut, giving it a gentle stroke. It was the first real show of affection Akako offered either of them.

"I'd say there's a fair chance of that. Now... I think I've gotten enough attention for the time being. I could use a bit of a breather. Why don't you two have a bit of fun? I like watching a good show." The bovine closed her eyes, feeling the horse's unborn children shifting away under his taut skin.

Clyde snickered a bit, "I think Collin would like that. He's a machine, but every now and again, you gotta grease the wheels if you know what I mean."

The younger brother blushed, biting his lower lip a bit. He was already feeling a stirring in his loins at the idea of getting a little personal time with his brother. Before he could speak, the thick, powerful legs that had trapped him flexed and lifted the councilwoman off him. A wet, lewd slurp marked his removal from her embrace. A chill passed over him, focusing heavily on his now exposed member, still rigid, still pulsing softly. Siyu's insatiable nature ran deep in his offspring it seemed.

The older brother was left similarly exposed, shivering slightly as the cool air kissed his soaked, glistening spire.

"Oooo, I may need to invest in some sort of sleeve to wrap up in after these long sessions." He ran a hand over his impressive length, trying to bring some warmth back to the chilled protrusion.

"There may be a market for that... depending on how many of you two there are." The noblewoman stepped away from the bed and stretched, trying to bring herself to closing her legs. They were a bit stiff. Closing them for a little while would keep her from aching while trying to walk normally after hours of riding.

Clyde quickly crawled his way up across the bed towards his brother, laying down on his side. Two strong arms wrapped around the younger, still recovering horse, removing any space between them. Both of the boys were content to remain just like that for the time being. Their eyes slipped shut as they let their bodies relax completely.

"Maybe. It might be a little bit of a wait before we put on that show for you. Need to catch our breath."

Collin couldn't even speak, his cheeks deeply red. He'd not been intimate, or even really cuddled, with his brother in front of others before. Some part of him deep down inside found it somewhat embarrassing for some reason. He couldn't explain it. Perhaps it was because he couldn't engage that part of his mind that said 'it's just business' which somehow made it okay. Akako nodded, moving back to the edge of the bed where she took a seat, tending to her belly as she watched the pair. Their affection for one another tickled her a little bit.

"Take all the time you need. I'm in no rush just yet. It'll be just a bit before the fires really start burning again."

Clyde nodded, pressing Collin's cheek against his chest, holding him fondly. He leaned down and pressed his lips against the crown of his brother's head, finding the musky, sweaty scent of the other stallion's hair after such a session to be rather intoxicating. It made his brother's presence that much stronger in his mind, and reminded him that the young man in his arms was an intensely sexual creature. That only served to entice him further.

"Why don't you sit up on the end of the bed for me honey... I want to do something we don't get to do very often." The older brother's eagerness was apparent.

Collin had a pretty good idea what that meant, and so he complied, but hesitantly. What he assumed was coming was rather nice, but he found it difficult to pull himself away from his brother. Laying against him, he was simply too comfortable. And yet, oddly, he wasn't. His lower back complained, likely from all the rocking and grinding. His legs were still burning from three hours of near constant use, and his stomach felt like it was beginning to cramp. He would probably need water soon. In spite of all of this, he still felt very much at ease.

The younger stallion's restful state was ripped away from him as Clyde began to sit up, bringing his brother with him. Collin whined softly as he was forced to let go of his lover. At least the coming show would be enjoyable. He shifted over to the edge of the bed and sat there with his legs hanging off. He leaned back slightly, trying to keep the weight of his belly over his hips, and thus, on the bed rather than risk tipping forward. Clyde, meanwhile, slipped off the bed, running his palms over his brother's engorged stomach, appreciating the curved dome, squeezing it gently much to its owner's delight. His lips sought out his younger sibling's, holding him in a passionate kiss for just a brief, fleeting moment, before working his way down, showering that motherly belly with tender affection. Then, the older brother reached his destination.

Collin gasped as he felt those warm, skilled lips brush across the end of his well-used member. The warmth and humidity of Clyde's breath sent a shiver up his spine. It felt similar to the buffalo's passage they had been tending to so furiously, but not quite the same. The older stallion let his tongue snake out and glide softly along the slick, well-lubricated spire, knowing he wouldn't soften anytime soon. Neither of them would. Carefully, he listened to the sounds his brother made as he teased and licked and nibbled here and there, taking his sweet time in getting up to the main event.

Making the younger horse squirm was always fun. Clyde grinned and ran his fingers up and down along the still tender shaft. It was like torturing the poor boy, tickling him mercilessly. Eventually, he gave in and leaned forward, gradually beginning to consume the rigid spire before him. As soon as the heated, moist environment of the older stallion's muzzled engulfed him, Collin gasped, forcing his legs apart further than they were already. His hips began to roll, subtle movements in time with his brother. Hours of sex, and he was still so readily able to climax. Or at least be pushed close to it. They were definitely Siyu's progeny. Their endurance shattered any doubt.

Akako grinned softly as she watched, running a hand across her incredible stomach, slowly and deliberately. If only she had brought a few of her house girls with her, they could tend to the sphere the way she liked. It was a luxury she missed. Seeing the brothers McKenzie able to appreciate one another without anyone else involved quickly stoked the fire between her legs. She wasn't ready to join back in just yet, but she was certainly enjoying the show. And she found herself enticed to do a little teasing herself. As Collin moaned from his brother's well trained oral skill, the buffalo inched closer towards them on the bed. Once she was close enough, she reached out and began to stroke softly at the base of the younger horse's tail. Every little while, she would dip a finger down between his cheeks, just a little ways. It made him tense softly as she worked at him. Eventually, those fingers found their way to the odd, dark, smooth object protruding from his rump. It was flat and wide, as if designed to act as a break, to keep the object from slipping out of sight completely.

Each subtle twitch of the horse's body saw it shift, one side leaning away from his backside while the other side pressed in against him more firmly. It offered a small gap between plaything and flesh, and Akako took advantage of this. Her fingers slipped into that gap, tilting the long invader inside Collin further than normal. It stole his breath away. Seeing his reaction and amused by it, the bovine lady pressed further, eliciting more writhings from the stallion. Eventually, she wrapped the whole of her hand around the base of the shiny, black object and began to pull gently. A quiet sucking sound ushered forth as Collin tensed up around the intruding device. He grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. With a gentle push, Akako returned the 'toy' back to its previous position. The horse inhaled sharply. She grinned and pulled on the object once more.

With careful observation, the buffalo began to time her efforts with Clyde's, gradually bringing the younger sibling to pant heavily. Each time she pulled, she pulled harder, removing more of the false spire. It was rather impressive how deep it reached. Each time she pressed it back into him, she did so with greater strength, steadily violating him harder and harder. Collin did not complain in the slightest. Any fears he had from earlier were washed away by the sea of stimulation he was drowning in.

And then it happened.

Collin's eyes flew open, bulging wide as he felt a familiar sensation deep in his belly. At first he didn't think it was anything but the natural conclusion of what was happening, especially as he cried out, filling his brother's mouth with the same musky ooze he had pumped into their female guest. But then, as his throbbing spire calmed, the tinge continued, growing and aching as if it were a cramp. His anus clamped hard on the toy, yanking it from the buffalo's grasp, not to be removed anytime soon. A hand moved to the side of his tremendous stomach and he grunted, then moaned unhappily.

Clyde pulled away, his lips dripping with his brother's seed as he caught his breath. He was still lost in his own little high, but quickly returned as he heard his brother's pained noises.

"Collin? Are you alright?"

The younger horse shook his head, "N-no... I... I think it's time! It's too soon though! I still had two weeks!"

Akako froze, gazing down at her hand.

"I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to set you off like that. I didn't know it would do that."

The older brother shook his head dismissively, jumping to action quickly. He wrapped an arm around his sibling's back, taking one of Collin's arms and draping it across his shoulders for support, and hoisted him onto his hooves.

"It's the first time we've ever used these, and we should have known being so close to popping might make things a little... unstable. You couldn't have known. Help me get him to the clinic. We need to get there as quickly as possible."

Akako frowned and tugged Collin out of his brother's embrace, hoisting him up and sweeping him off his hooves. It took him by surprise. Clyde was similarly stunned. The buffalo stared down at the still standing stallion as she cradled the other atop her own heavy stomach.

"Well!? What are you waiting for!? Get going! I'll keep up!"

Her eagerness to dive into the fray so readily was not at all what either boy expected. They liked her immediately for it.

The door was shoved open and the sound of two sets of hooves clambering down the stairs followed. The immobile raccoon below gasped as the trio darted past with only a brief explanation.

"Chang of plans, boss! Gotta run!" Clyde called out as he rushed by.

Miss Saleen would have stepped back if she could. Seeing Collin being carried away by the dark bovine in such a hurry gave her something of an idea of what was going on. She didn't even get to respond before they were out the door and down the street. Any crowds that stood in their way were quickly parted by abrupt, authoritative shouts from the buffalo. Clyde couldn't help but grin a little seeing how she was handling the situation. She didn't even bother to put on what meager clothes she had worn prior to their 'appointment'. Clearly running through the streets naked didn't trouble her at all. Maybe the 'nobles' in the big cities weren't all that bad.

The converted temple loomed before them in very short order, the clinic inside unaware of what they were about to receive. Akako barged in, careful not to knock anyone over as she darted directly to the nearest nurse.

"You there! This one needs help!" She didn't set Collin down, even as he clutched his stomach with each contraction.

The stallion struggled to remember his breathing exercises. With how often he'd done this, it should be second nature, but every time it seemed to take him by surprise. Quietly, he was grateful she wasn't setting him down. He wouldn't be able to keep himself on his hooves at the moment. Masked perfectly by his labor pains was the terror of being discovered. Hopefully Fran would be able to take him back into a private room where he could 'take care of business' away from prying eyes.

Unfortunately, they had to deal with the poor nurse who had been practically accosted by the somewhat bossy bovine. She stammered and trembled a little as she looked up at the tall councilwoman.

"I... I... um... okay... Let me see if any of the healers are available to help."

Clyde rushed in behind the buffalo, huffing a little. He didn't usually have to run while so close to his own term.

"We've... got a healer... already. We need... to see Fran. Please get her... as quickly as you can. It's an emergency!"

The pale jade lady nodded and hurried away, lighter on her feet with a motherly swell than the stallion was. Clyde leaned forward, resting a hand on the stone counter in front of him for support while the other moved to the small of his back. He was going to pay for that he was sure. He'd be too sore to get a good night's sleep. But that seemed rather trivial at the moment. Akako looked down at him over Collin, unsure of his request.

"You have a specific healer you prefer?"

Clyde nodded, "We do. She's a personal friend of ours, she knows our history, what we can tolerate and what we can't, and Collin is a... a special case. We trust her in handling that."

Akako shrugged. She couldn't fault either of the boys for wanting to seek the aid of a friend who just so happened to be an expert on such matters. The 'special case' comment did seem a touch odd to her, but she didn't dwell on it terribly much. Maybe it was because they were both male, but then why was Collin the special case and not both of them? Before she could let the notion roll around much longer, the nurse from before returned, bringing two more nurses and one of the other healers with her.

"I'm sorry but Fran isn't here right now. If you come with us, we'll make you as comfortable as we can while we get you ready to give birth."

The fear that had been hiding under Collin's discomfort suddenly leapt to the forefront, "She's not here!? Where did she go!? I can't see anyone but her!" It wasn't conceit, it was sheer terror in his voice. The nurses and healer all recognized it and offered what comfort they could provide.

"We don't know. It was personal business. She said she would be gone for a few hours. Don't worry, we've all done this hundreds of times before. We can help you through it without any trouble. Just please come with us." The tallest of the clinic staff addressing them, the healer of the group, motioned for them to follow.

Akako did as requested without hesitation or even a second thought. She knew that if Fran wasn't there, she wasn't there, and there wasn't anything to be done on the point, so throwing her weight around wouldn't help. Collin on the other hand was plunged into a fit of panic, crying out for his brother and for their friend.

"No! I can't see anyone but her! I need Fran! Clyde! Tell them they have to find Fran! Please!" Tears began streaming down his cheeks.

To his credit, the older brother did make an attempt to appeal to their compassionate side, "Please. If you know anything about where she went, I could try to go find her. I know if she was aware of the situation she would drop everything and come running. Do you know anything about where she went or what she went to take care of?"

The healer, answering to the name Martha, shook her head, "Fran never told us anything other than that it was personal. We didn't press the issue. I promise you we will take the absolute best care of him, but we have to get him prepped now."

Clyde turned to look up at his brother as they headed down the hall, "I'm going to go see if I can find her. There are only a few places she could be. Just hang on."

Collin shook his head, his eyes widening with renewed horror, "NO! Don't leave me! I need you here! Please don't go!"

The older horse sighed and bowed to his brother's request, "Okay... I'll stay with you."

"I think I will step outside. You've better help than I can provide." Akako politely bowed out, taking her leave so that the matter could be handled. She was a noble, but she was wise enough to let family matters be tended to by family and not a stranger they were hired by.

Immediately, Collin felt a sense of relief wash over him. It was very short lived however. As soon as the nurses began trying to move him into the appropriate posture, he began to struggle against them, crying out hysterically. It was all Clyde could do to try and keep his brother from making things worse. Eventually, it was too much for the older sibling to contend with, his temper beginning to flare.

"Everyone get out!! Now!!" His voice boomed through the stone building, startling all within earshot. It even quieted Collin, surprising him.

Immediately, the nurses turned to leave hastily. The healer they were assisting turned to as well, but she found a hand grasping her by the arm, holding her in place.

"Not you, Martha. We need you. But no one else comes in this room until it's over. Understand?" Clyde's firm tone suggested there was more going on than the obvious. It piqued the scaled lady's curiosity.

"I think I deserve an explanation for why you just kicked my staff out of the room as your brother's about to give birth."

"You'll find out soon enough. Just... just please don't be alarmed with what you find. At least long enough to help us through this." His tone had taken a subtle turn towards desperation. It worried the lady.

"I think I can handle just about anything you two can throw at me. Now, we really need to get started before the situation gets worse."

Clyde nodded and turned his attention back to Collin, who was still refusing to cooperate. He kicked, not enough to hurt, but just to push the lady away, and rolled to his side to try and make it impossible for her to do her job. Maybe if he frustrated her enough she might leave and no one would have to be present but the two of them. His older brother began trying to sooth him. Clyde's voice shifted abruptly away from the harsh tone he had taken earlier, now a soft, gentle brogue commanding his words.

"Easy honey. Just take it easy. Relax. She's not going to hurt you. We need a healer and she's all we've got. I know you're scared but we need to do something fast, or else the babies will get hurt or worse. Just calm down. She's going to help."

It took several minutes, but Clyde managed to eventually talk his brother down. With Collin's cooperation, Martha was able to finally get to work. She moved the stallion about to position him for the coming exercise.

"Alright, now I need you to relax all over for just a little while. I have to remove your... toy... before we can get you taken care of. Can you do that for me?"

A brief moment of hesitation flashed in the younger horse's eyes as he turned to his brother. Clyde nodded to him.

"It will be okay. I promise. Just do what she says and it will be okay. I'll be right here."

Deep down, Collin knew what was coming and that 'it will be okay' was just a pretty lie. He knew why it was said. He knew what was at stake if he didn't. But he was still deeply terrified. He closed his eyes tight and leaned over towards his brother as much as he was allowed, doing as he was asked. The supple pucker hugging vice-like around the springy object eased its death grip and Martha began pulling, careful not to tug too hard.

The expecting stallion shuddered and whimpered as he felt the intruding object begrudgingly slide free. Once it was loose, he sighed and relaxed further, having managed to be caught between contractions. Then the green lady's hands moved to the ring locked around the base of his scrotum. Her efforts to remove the metal anchor left him squirming slightly, in spite of the fear.

"Alright, see? That wasn't so bad. I'll put this over here out of the way and we'll get you ready to push." The reptilian healer leaned away, setting the rudimentary dildo aside, finding the leather strap connecting the false spire to the ring she'd unlocked rather curious. She then turned back towards the pair.

That was when she got her first real good look at Collin's groin and she froze. It was in that moment that the stallion's secret was revealed. It shocked her to silence. There, before her very eyes, hidden beneath the horse's generous manhood was a gash she was all too familiar with. His hefty scrotum had done a fairly good job concealing it, until it was hoisted out of the way. It had no business being on a male. How was it he had come to possess such a feature? He couldn't be what her mind was now running to. Those were just an urban legend.

"You're... you're a... hermaphrodite?"

Clyde, sensing the sort of reaction both he and Collin feared, leaned forward to try and snap her out of her stupor, "Yes, he is. And he's in labor. He needs your help to give birth. Can you set the taboo aside for the moment and help us, please?"

Martha blinked and gave her head a quick rattle, forcing the fog to lift.

"Sorry... I just... I didn't know this was possible. Is he...?"

"Yes, he's going to be giving birth that way, as well as the usual method for us boys. You can expect two up front, and two, maybe three in back. We never found out the actual count." Clyde squeezed his brother's hand, prompting a similar, almost bone-crushingly powerful squeeze in return as a contraction began to set in. The younger stallion cried out in pain as he felt it coming and Martha forced herself to focus on the task. She was still shaken by what was before her, but she had to do her job. She called upon the older brother to help her, particularly in navigating around the sizable proportions blocking access. It took an hour before the first cry of the first newborn could be heard. The little foal trembled and complained in the cold until it was wrapped up in a blanket and set aside atop a vast pillow to rest. There were more waiting.

Akako waited patiently out in the corridor the whole while as the stallion gave birth. She listened as one by one four new voices in total announced their arrival. She could only imagine the poor horse's emotional state having to go through this without his favored healer present. When it sounded as though everything had finally settled down, she rapped her knuckles on the stone wall just outside the entry.

"How is he doing?" She called in loud enough for everyone inside to hear.

"He's fine, and so are the babies. You can come in now. I think we're done."

"I'm so sorry I wasn't here!" A new voice joined in, hurrying down the hall towards the buffalo. It was Fran. She turned and darted in to join the group just as Akako stepped in, "I had an emergency delivery in town! I was called away and couldn't get back until just now! I am so sorry boys!"

Clyde shook his head, offering the jade woman a fond hug, "It's okay, duty calls. This was pretty unexpected."

Akako kept her distance, letting their usual physician tend to them for the time being. Her presence did not go unnoticed, but Fran was thoroughly distracted with the well-being of her friends.

"How many were there?" She began running her hands over Collin's much smaller stomach, still visibly swollen, but nowhere near the bulk it had once been. Surely it was just the 'aftermath' waiting. The older brother turned to gaze at the foals resting quietly on the cushion nearby.

"He had four total."

Fran froze, keeping her hands in place atop the horse's belly, "Four? Just four?!"

Clyde nodded, "Yes... why?"

"We're not done here yet! There's one more, and it's about to come right now! Okay, Collin honey, I'm gonna need you to put your legs back up and get ready to push. I know you're tired, but you've done this a lot. I know you can do it. Just stay calm and listen to my voice. I'm gonna help you get through this. One more to go and you're done, I promise."

Martha blushed furiously, embarrassed that she missed the last one, "I... I thought there were only four... and... he's..."

"I know sweetie, but that's not important right now. I need another cloth for this one and be ready with the clippers. Clyde, your brother's going to need a lot to drink when this is over. Go get the pitcher from out in the hall for me. Get back quick as a flash." The dragoness immediately jumped into command, coaxing Collin to brace just as another contraction began to wash over him. The expectant stallion grit his teeth and cried out once more as the last foal began to descend. He spread his legs as wide as he could just with the previous four. Fran stood by, ready for anything, as she watched the horse begin to push.

In only a very short while, a small, brown head emerged from the stallion's nethers. He winced and panted, needing to take a breath. With the practiced expertise he had gained over the roughly two and a half dozen he'd had previously, Collin began pushing again almost immediately. He had developed a feel for his progress, as had almost everyone as fruitful as he had been. Fran reached forward and gently cradled the head of the newborn, ever so delicately sliding her fingers into the flesh surrounding it and working to help free it. Another long cry of pain filled the room as the stallion's middle quaked with another contraction, this time letting slip just about half of his child's form. From there, the rest of the baby passed without incident and the jade woman cradled the foal with the same grace and tenderness she always did.

"Good job honey. That makes five." She smiled softly looking down at the auburn child, wrapping it up in a blanket once she was handed one.

Collin panted, finally able to relax, assured that this was the last one of this batch. He looked over to the lady who had gone through every birth with him since the very beginning with half-lidded eyes.

"Another boy?" He asked, jokingly. The other four had been boys, and largely each litter was one uniform gender.

Fran chuckled softly and carried the foal over to him to examine, resting the infant against his chest, "Actually... this one's a little girl."

For some reason, this revelation shook poor, exhausted Collin deeply. Inexplicably, the fact that this one was different from the other four when it was usually all boys or all girls fostered an attachment he had never quite felt before. This one was special somehow. He wrapped his arms around the little girl and held her, suddenly not wanting to let this one go.

"Hey Clyde... how would you feel about keeping this group?"

The older brother chuckled and leaned over, giving his brother a kiss on the cheek. He gazed down at the foal who had finally stopped crying now that she was bundled up and warm.

"Well... we do have a lot of savings. We could actually buy a plot of land and build a house. We'll have to talk to Miss Saleen about how we could keep some sort of work situation going. We might need a nanny, at least part time."

Hearing Clyde talk the way he did made Collin's heart skip a beat. He was willing. Even if it didn't happen, he was willing, and that left him overjoyed.

That joy didn't last terribly long unfortunately.

"I wouldn't make long-term plans just yet," Akako glowered softly, standing just off to the side, "We need to have a little chat about your... unique nature."

Immediately, Collin began to shrink in his seat. Fran frowned and began helping his legs into a more relaxed posture.

"You can talk to him about it later. He's just been through a lot and he needs to rest. No matter what you think he is or what word you want to use to describe him, he's still a person and deserves to be treated with at least a little dignity. Now, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." She was very protective of her special patient.

A dark hand gripped the dragon's wrist as she began to try to remove one of Collin's legs from its position. It was just strong enough to keep the healer from helping him down, but not enough to hurt her.

"He's not done yet. You know that. Finish up with him but do not let him leave, either of them. And don't go disappearing, yourself. I want to speak to all three of you once he's had a chance to recover a bit," Akako released Fran's arm, "I'll be making sure someone stays just outside to make sure none of you leave... you or the newborns. I will return soon." The stern tenor of her voice left Collin on the verge of another breakdown. The fact that he had a newborn on his chest was all that was keeping him from collapsing.

Fran growled a little as the buffalo left, leaning in to whisper to the boys.

"I don't know what she's got planned but I will do what I can to get you and the kids out of here."

Clyde frowned, "What about you? We can't just leave you behind."

"I can distract them, slow them down, buy you two some time. It's going to be tricky and slow going with five little ones in tow," She took both their hands in hers and squeezed them, "It's been one hell of a ride and we had a really good run keeping it a secret. I'm sorry I dropped the ball."

The older brother shook his head, "It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known this would happen. And we're not going to just let you take the heat for this. If we run, we all run. If they're going to criminalize him, and me for just knowing him, then they'll do the same to y-" Clyde cut himself off as Martha stepped back in, standing near the door and watching them.

"I'm... I'm so sorry to intrude. I was asked to stay and keep watch on you. In case you tried to do anything... rash." She seemed horribly uncomfortable with the idea, but it was clear the high councilwoman had given her a stern warning to elicit her cooperation.

Fran grumbled a little. Martha was just one, but there were surely more waiting outside should they try to incapacitate her and slip out.

"Well... any bright ideas boys?"

A few hours passed as Fran helped Collin tend to the final part of giving birth and he managed to rest. At least Martha was polite enough to assist with it, as well as disposal. She never left the room though. When she called someone in to carry the excess away, rather than dispose of it herself, that told them they were being watched closely. All they could do was tend to the five newborns. Collin was back on his hooves fairly quickly, but his footing wasn't entirely sure just yet. He didn't have the recovery and fortitude most women had. His knees were still shaking just a bit after so much strain. At least he didn't have a heavy load to bear on such uneven support.

The three of them whispered quietly back and forth, trying to conjure a plan of action in case Akako's chat with them turned south. What they didn't expect was a giant, near-immobile belly to come gliding in atop a special little truck.

"Boys! Are you alright!?" It was Miss Saleen, and she practically threw her arms around the two horses. Her sincere affection for them was almost motherly, "I came as quick as I could! You know how hard it is getting around with this." She gave her oversized stomach a firm rub.

Clyde returned her embrace carefully, not wanting to squeeze either of their stomachs too much. He was still carrying after all.

"We're okay. Collin gave birth to five. Four boys and a girl. They're all healthy. Miss Akako on the other hand... she's rather unhappy with us."

The raccoon lady nodded and frowned deeply, "I heard. It's why I'm here. I blame myself. I should have started backing you two off active duty once you were this close. I just got so wrapped up in wanting to impress the city folks. I'm so sorry. Your secret's out because of me."

Collin remained quiet, unable to bring himself to speak. He was still lost deep in the trauma of being discovered. His brother offered the sentiment they were both thinking.

"No, don't blame yourself. We both knew this could happen at any point. Frankly, I'm surprised we lasted as long as we did," He paused, glancing briefly at his quiet younger brother, then back to his mistress, "So... how long have you known?"

Saleen giggled a bit and give both boys a soft nudge, "The day I hired you. Lots of little subtle hints kept nagging at me. Like the little tease of a scent here and there, how Collin tried so hard to keep his back turned away from me... oh and that one time he bent over and I got a real good view of everything. That was a pretty strong clue."

Collin's cheeks flushed powerfully and he looked away, deeply embarrassed. He had let himself be seen so early on in his career. It was a rookie mistake.

Clyde blinked a bit, "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

The lady shrugged, "Never saw a reason to. You two wanted to keep it quiet, I could see that. And I had looked into your progeny already. None of them showed any ill effects. They were all happy and healthy, and their early examinations showed no early signs of sterility. As far as I was concerned, it was a feature, not a flaw."

"Your compassion, or indifference if you choose to call it that, may be your undoing," The rather proper buffalo returned, still looking quite grim, turning to gaze at the now trim stallion, "I have sent word to the central city and requested a course of action. It should have arrived by now and a response is likely on the way back."

"That quickly?" Clyde was surprised.

"Yes. Our messengers are quite swift. I suspect it took only a little over an hour's flight for her to reach the capitol."

"An hour!? But the capitol is over a hundred miles from here!"

"As I said, our messengers are quite swift, especially when matters are of great importance." The buffalo was slightly annoyed the conversation had stuck on this point for so long.

Collin whimpered, daring to speak only briefly, and quietly, "You'd think there would be other things more important than one horse's biological curiosity."

Akako raised an eyebrow, "One horse's biological curiosity? Your very existence is going to cause a great deal of clamor in the capitol. There are some who view the very idea of your kind as a threat to the purity of our lines. A perversion of the natural order."

Clyde frowned, not ready to go on the attack just yet, "And... how do you view him?"

The tall lady shifted her gaze over to the still rotund brother, her solemn expression remaining unchanged, "I believe there may be cause for concern, but I'm no expert on such matters. That will be for the council to decide."

"The council!?" Collin yelped, recoiling somewhat.

"If it is their will, and I do not doubt that it will be, you will be taken before them for an examination so that we can determine what sort of impact your... uniqueness... will have on the community as a whole. Already there are plenty in the capitol who view males able to breed, as sire or otherwise, as an affront to the Great Father and that their spread must be curtailed, even completely stopped. If they request it, you will be the first males to enter the capitol in decades, save for Siyu himself. You should feel honored." Her tone took up a hint of sarcasm upon mention of 'honor'. It was difficult to tell if she was displeased with the idea of taking them to such a hallowed place, or if it was the prevailing sentiment that disgusted her.

"And... if I choose not to go?" Collin mustered the will to sound at least modestly defiant.

"Then they will send soldiers to collect you. Violently if necessary. I would strongly advise against resisting." By now, she had turned her attention to the five sleeping infants bundled up in a large wicker basket. Clyde casually moved to put himself between the babies and the bovine if necessary.

"And what will happen to our children?" The protective father frowned, gazing hard at Akako.

Her expression hardened, "If they are displeased with your brother, they will take whatever action they see fit to prevent further pollution to the bloodlines. That could mean simply rendering him completely sterile as well as the children or... they may decide that is not enough."

Clyde's blood ran cold in his veins. How could the even consider something so barbaric?

"They wouldn't dare..."

"There are members of the council who believe it's that great of a threat. You might be subjected to the same fate. As would any other offspring the two of you have had." The mild joviality she had once possessed prior to Collin going into labor seemed to have just evaporated, gone as though it was never there. She was a different person now.

It disturbed the brothers, their jade companion, and their employer.

Saleen wheeled herself about, no small feat at her size, "And then what? Where does it stop? How far do they have to go before they're convinced the bloodlines are 'safe'? Do they take every single male out of the community completely? Will they just kill them all?"

Akako narrowed her eyes, stepping closer to the raccoon who had raised her voice. Her words were direct, evenly measured, and carefully chosen, "Miss Saleen, I would advise you to mind your tone. While I can appreciate how passionate you feel on the matter, do not forget who it is you are speaking to."

The raccoon glared indignantly at the councilwoman, not caring for being spoken down to. Still, she knew well enough that there was never a point where a problem was so big it could not be made worse. When the councilwoman was satisfied she had shamed Saleen into silence, she diplomatically evaded answering a question she did not know the answer to and turned her attention to more immediate matters.

"I would ask you to not speak of this, especially considering the uncertain nature of the outcome. It would be better to keep the matter quiet so your boys have the chance to respond with dignity rather than cause a spectacle." The bovine cocked her head back, pointing at Collin and Clyde with her chin briefly. There was at least a modicum of concern for their well-being. Or maybe she was simply playing the politician on that point.

The sound of hurried footfalls in the corridor caught the room's attention. Only seconds after the group took notice of the noise did the owner of the feet responsible practically burst through the doorway. The gryphon panted heavily, appearing horribly winded from her flight. She stumbled towards the buffalo holding out a hand, carrying a scroll.

"Mi-mistress... Akako... your... your response..."

The buffalo took the scroll then reached out, catching the poor avian as she collapsed in an exhausted heap. Her trim, lithe figure made her quite easy to handle.

"You've done more than enough my dear. It's time you rested." Akako quickly moved to lay the winged lady atop the now unused bed where she could recuperate.

"She's not expecting?" Clyde asked sounding quite puzzled.

"No. She isn't. Imperial messengers are expected to remain celibate during their tour of duty, usually no longer than three years. She came with me on my visit in the event of just such an emergency. She's one of the fastest fliers we have. And a dear friend," Once the avian lady was resting comfortably, the buffalo stepped away and unraveled the scroll, running down the text it contained. The others present waited on baited breath to hear the news. It wasn't read outright to them. Instead, Akako turned to the nearest nurse, "See to it she has all she needs to recover. Tell her I do not expect her back in the capitol until after she is fully rested."

Clyde frowned, discerning her meaning, "So I guess that's our answer then."

Akako nodded, "The council demands my return, with you two in tow. Your children as well. They urgently require an examination."

"What then?" The older brother moved to stand between the bovine and his sibling.

The councilwoman frowned, narrowing her eyes. She wasn't terribly interested in showing patience at that moment, "That is not your concern at present. You both will come with me back to the capitol and there you will find out what fate awaits you all."

The mood she left behind as she took her leave was a somber one. Not a word was said. The silence was deafening.

The carriage ride to the capitol was a long and rough couple of days. The travelers bounced away strongly over the bumpy dirt path. It was all Collin and Clyde could do to keep their backsides from getting rubbed raw. Akako had taken their cushions, as well as her own, and used them to provide a gentler ride for the newborns. Fran tried to force her way into coming along, if only to tend to the children. The councilwoman would not have it. Instead, her own physician, along for the ride in case Akako had need of her, tended to the foals' needs. Blessedly, after what seemed like an eternity, the harsh, turbulent, jostling ride smoothed out. The carriage's wheels glided across the even, paved surface of one of the Empire's many roads they finally reached and turned onto. It was a welcome relief to their bottoms, but it only served to remind the boys they were that much closer to the Capitol.

The thick overgrowth of the jungle turned quickly into an open rift in the foliage, carved out of the land by the stone and sand pathway. With the sun beating down on them, the breeze flowing through the open, covered vehicle became something of a minor salvation. Akako had not spoken the entire time. Instead she sat quietly, seemingly in a state of meditation. Neither of the stallions dared to say anything at the risk of angering the woman. Already they were in enough trouble. No point in making things worse.

With the ride no longer nearly as unpleasant, Collin leaned against his brother and closed his eyes, swaying gently as the carriage bounced to a much calmer rhythm. He might even manage to find a bit of sleep. Clyde let him do just that while he kept a close, watchful eye on their children. True to the word he had been given, Akako's physician took excellent care of the little ones. For that, the older horse was thankful.

Another hour and a half passed and they began passing along large swaths of farmland. The verdant green of the fields was far more organized and structured than those out in the less 'civilized' regions. The boys marveled at the landscape before a large wall rose up in the distance. It stretched for quite a ways in either direction, adorned with turrets at regular intervals. It was the wall surrounding the central city, the capitol of Gangxia. The brothers found their hearts easing up into their throats.

"Keep quiet, do as I tell you, go where I say to go, when I say, and we won't have a problem," Akako began unfastening long flaps of cloth rolled up at the edges of the cart's roof. They dropped down, unfurling to dangle past the bottom of the carriage, concealing them inside. She repeated the action for all four sides, anchoring them at the bottom, "Many of the capitol's citizens don't look terribly kindly on men entering the city walls. Some see it as a challenge to the virility of the Great Father. Others just find males offensive. Stay out of sight, or they might decide to impose their own brand of justice."

As if tension wasn't high enough for the two stallions, now they had to worry about a potential riot. As the boys drank in the sight through the narrow slits in the fabric concealing them, they stared wide-eyed in wonder. It was an impressive sight. The stone was a golden hue, as if made of sand, roughly hewn, still possessing a rough texture on its surface. The edifice was dotted with countless windows, granting a view through to the outside. Clearly it was more a means of defining the border of the city rather than a true defensive measure anymore.

A pair of enormous gates, standing open, framed the view into the interior. Clyde and Collin were awestruck by what they saw beyond. Slowly the carriage rolled into the city, revealing countless buildings and villas, all built of the same stone. Narrow canals lined the streets. Lanterns hung from dark iron poles, waiting to be illuminated at nightfall. Small shops lined the bottom of the meticulously manicured buildings, advertisements for their wares hung about and blowing in the breeze. What they saw being sold ran the gambit. There were all manner of consumables, sundries, clothes, and even curious little idols no doubt meant to bless the owner with great fertility. The design of many of them wasn't of Siyu however.

Everyone either passed by one another without notice or engaged in their business politely, with very few exceptions. What conflict there was arose from the point of price. Seeing one or two of the local ladies getting into such a mood reminded the stallions of what Akako had said earlier, the locals exacting their own brand of justice. That took on a new meaning as they passed innumerable statues of the Amazonian ancestors, each one holding one or two rather nasty looking weapons. Weapons that could be removed and used by the citizens surrounding it. It made the boys a little more nervous.

Their tension didn't last long. As the gentle wind passing through the streets managed to finally invade the carriage, it carried with it one of the city's most famous features. A distinct aroma filled the air, one the stallions had never detected so strongly before, but had heard about. It was Siyu's influence. The instant it reached his nose, Collin shivered and crossed his legs. Clyde felt a similar fire begin to build in his groin as well, though it likely couldn't compare to his brother's. The legends were true after all. Thankfully, with the flaps down, only gentle traces of it seeped in. The deeper they got into town, the stronger it would get.

The locals filled the streets, crossing back and forth, headed wherever their business took them. Each and every one of them heavy in the middle as was expected, but the bellies here were far larger than what the boys considered average. There were many that even made Akako look small. They all carried them well. Fashion was of a similar philosophy here; clothing was optional, and what was worn was more a display of status than to conceal or protect. The guards wore only scant armor, protecting their shoulders, arms, and thighs, but carried great shields, large enough conceal even the most motherly of swells. They got a closer look as a collection of the militarized women moved to encircle the carriage. A quick glance even suggested those shields could interlock. They could form an impenetrable barrier in defense of their sisters.

"Don't lean too close. Out here on the market streets it gets busy. They might bump into us," The buffalo pulled one flap back just far enough to poke her head out, "We're needed at the Council hall right away. It's urgent."

Clyde paused as she spoke, waiting for her to lean back in before leaning forward, keeping his voice low, "Your dialect changed just now."

"Of course it did. We speak a purer version of the Father's tongue here. The language tends to change in the outer territories. You encounter more of those who don't speak our language and it tends to bleed through a bit. I will translate if you do not understand once we get to the council chambers." Accommodating of her.

Their progress had slowed considerably but it remained constant, especially with the guards pressing forward, calling out to clear a path. As they proceeded, the city only grew more spectacular. The decor grew more ornate; incorporating gold, silver, precious stones, delicate silks and the like. In the absence of statues, similar implements of war could be seen hanging on the fronts of many of the shops, arranged to appear as a coat of arms. The crowds thinned out as well, though they seemed to cluster around large reflecting pools lined with brilliant, gleaming statues of Siyu and his symbol of virility. Thick oozes of white seeped from the end of each, pouring down into the pools below. Some of the ladies could be seen climbing up the statues only to sink themselves down upon the artificial member. With such reflecting pools, Collin and Clyde would probably be hard pressed to find business. The city was awash with his seed, and the scent of it was so heavy in the air it was impossible to detect anything else. It was becoming too much for the boys.

Akako dove a hand into a small satchel resting on the floor of the carriage. From its depths she pulled a small container which she opened and rubbed two fingers around within. A pale green lotion coated the digits as she removed them. Unceremoniously, she reached over and smeared the goop along Collin's nose, then along Clyde's. The remainder she provided for herself. The container was closed and shoved into the older brother's hands.

"Keep that with you at all times. Whenever you feel the heat start to build again, rub some more just under your nose. It will help block out Father's aroma."

Collin protested initially, but as he felt the fire die down, he sighed in relief, as did Clyde.

"You people have thought of everything, haven't you?"

"Necessity is the mother of invention." She turned to peer out through the narrow slit, not relishing the coming assembly.

After two hours of slow progress through the city, with the sun dipping low towards the sea, the carriage finally came to rest in front of a massive building. It looked as if it were part pyramid, part temple, part tower. The base was incredibly wide with steeply sloping sides. At the center of the front was a wide, long staircase with smooth ramps on either side. It ended halfway up the base, leading into the stout structure. Countless open windows along the exterior showed hints of what it hid within. Above the base sat a more open style building made up of pillars with stone beams across their tops and marble likenesses of past leaders. Linen curtains hung between the columns, waving slowly in the breeze. The council likely met on one of those levels. Atop the temple portion stood a round spire, well large enough to be used by a few dozen individuals. The personal quarters of the Great Father as well as the Yera and her family. At the top stood a golden replica of the kangaroo rat revered by all, ablaze in the light of the setting sun.

Tales of the Hall of Siyu did not do its majesty justice.

Before Akako dared to open the cloth concealing them, she leaned back out and spoke quickly and quietly to the attendant just outside. After a moment, she leaned back in carrying two bundles of fabric. She handed the boys the garments, pressing forward to speak to them in a hushed tone.

"Put these on, put the hoods up, and keep yourself covered. Once we get out, follow me closely, do not linger. We need to get you both out of the open as quickly as possible. Once we're inside, stay close. Do not even so much as pull your hood back until I tell you it's safe. And don't get any funny ideas about trying to look around. This isn't a tour."

Collin and Clyde looked to one another, wondering if it could really be as bad as the buffalo was making it out to be. Once they were clad in their robes, one side of the carriage was opened and they were permitted to disembark. As they climbed out, they noticed a small crowd that had gathered for Akako's return. She stood to one side of the vehicle, gazing out at her sisters as if she were scanning the group for someone or something. The two cloaked figures did as they were told, remaining close. Akako's physician meanwhile collected the foals and moved to carry them inside. It was then that the two stallions caught a glimpse of how harsh public opinion was of their kind.

"Are those children male!?"

"How could you bring males into the city!?"

"Get rid of them! Take them out past the gates! They have no business here!!"

Several other shouts and cries of dismay rose from the crowd, slowly turning into an angry mob. A few even tried to push past the guards to get at the children. A loud thud of hoof on stone echoed sharply, silencing many of the would-be attackers.

"That is enough!! You will harm no child, male or female, while they are under my protection! Now leave or you will be arrested!" Akako's voice boomed, commanding immediate obedience. And she had it. The crowd began to disperse, granting the new arrivals a quieter transition to the palace interior. Clyde and Collin were horrified. If that was how angry they got over newborns, they could only imagine how they would feel about the two of them.

The councilwoman motioned for the group to head inside and she led the way, the boys staying close as they were told. The stairs seemed more formidable than they actually were. Clyde was certain he'd be winded by the time he got halfway. By the time they reached the main entry at the top, he was pleasantly surprised to find he was still brimming with vigor.

"If I felt this good after every workout, I'd be in much better shape."

"That's the influence of the Great Father. It has a tendency to energize anyone who gets this close. You'll find it rather difficult to sleep while you're here without using a much stronger salve to block out his scent. Even a meeting as boring as the high council gathering won't make you drowsy. Come along." Akako motioned for the two to follow while her physician carried the foals away in a different direction.

"Where are they taking our children?" Collin asked, fighting the urge to turn and stay with the little ones.

"To a nursery for the time being. A private one where no one might happen upon them accidentally. Now come along. The council will gather in one hour an I would prefer to have you two ready."

"Ready? Why can't they see us as we are?" Clyde frowned, feeling quietly insulted.

"Try not to take this the wrong way, but after riding with you two in a carriage for two days, you could use a bath," She turned to look forward again, lowering her voice a bit, "As could I."

What little of the palace the boys were permitted to see was more than enough to put every other building they had been in to shame. The floors were immaculate and polished. They even had an intricate pattern inlaid in gold and silver. What glimpses they caught of the walls held stone carvings or painted scrolls depicting select moments in Gangxia's history. It distracted the brothers from where their guide was leading them. Before they knew it, a pair of heavy doors closed loudly behind them, making them jump with a start.

Akako moved to the far side of the room, occupied by only the three of them, and began removing what scant clothing she wore. As she did, she motioned to the boys who had followed her right to that very spot as she had ordered.

"That's quite enough of that. Take your robes off. I intend to bathe, I suggest you do the same," She pointed to one of several doors just adjacent, "Don't worry, I've had them clear the entire sauna. You won't have anyone unexpected walking in on you." With that, she stepped through one of the archways, a different one from where she directed Clyde and Collin.

"Thank you..."

"Don't get used to the treatment. It may be the last real kindness you get to enjoy while you're here," She paused, not looking back as she completed the thought, "...and for that, I am truly sorry." Then she disappeared around the corner.

It left the mood more somber than either stallion would have liked. They entered the bath as they were told, finding it just as impressive as the rest of the palace with its smooth stone tile, wide soaking tubs, and vast amounts of steam. However, it was difficult to enjoy given what was to come. They cleansed one another in relative silence, distracted only marginally by the fragrant soaps and shampoos available. It at least helped to wash the scent of Siyu from their noses. They must have somehow found a way to filter the air, or draw it in from a distant source that had not been completely saturated by the Great Father's influence. Once they were certain they were no longer offensive to the noses of the aristocrats, they emerged from the bath, finding a place to sit and wait for the buffalo.

A tremor had taken Collin, his entire body trembling as his mind ran through all manner of horrific possibilities. He was less afraid for himself and more so for his children and brother. Akako had painted a pretty grim picture. But at least it sounded as though she was on their side. It was all he could do to keep from breaking down into tears in his brother's arms. If only he had asked Fran to induce him before Akako had shown up, maybe they wouldn't be here.

"Clyde, I... I'm sorry. It's all my fault we're here."

The older brother frowned and opened his mouth to speak, suddenly cut off by the bovine who had detained them.

"You cannot be held responsible for how you were born. You are about to go before the high council who will pass judgment on you for being different. You cannot show them any remorse or loathing for what you are. That would only play into the hands of those who would see the worst in you."

"Hard to think of yourself as anything other than a monster or freak when that's how most everyone views you." Collin's retort was soft, but it was meant to cut deeply. It didn't faze the bovine in the slightest.

"Your brother doesn't," She removed her robe, now damp and heavy, and collected her garments, the outfit largely for show rather than meant to cover.

Collin turned to gaze at the other stallion, feeling a firm squeeze around his hand, the grasp of someone supportive telling him he wasn't alone. It was only a small comfort, but powerful one.

"So how is this going to work?" Clyde spoke, not breaking his gaze with his sibling.

"You will be brought before the council as I said. They will ask you questions, probably demand an examination. There will be a lot of squabbling and arguing. Answer their questions directly. Do not evade. Keep your answers concise. Make eye contact with whoever asked as you answer. Fight the urge to speak out if you think they are judging you prematurely or unfairly. Many of the council members do not take kindly to disrespect or being corrected," She adjusted her clothing. Her chest, belly, and many other regions some cultures would deem inappropriate to leave uncovered were all still quite visible, "It's time."

The chamber of the high council was surprisingly simple. The room was open to the outside, letting a gentle breeze flow through the columns supporting the ceiling and floors above. There were thirteen cushions set in a semi-circle, each one occupied by the council member assigned to it. Akako sat just off center. Each and every one of them carried a similar burden as the buffalo, no doubt why they preferred to sit on the ground rather than risk resting on a chair that might break. There were very few decorations, little more than linen hung between the columns to provide shade from the sun at the appropriate times of day. The view out was magnificent. In the light of the late afternoon, the entire city was set ablaze as though it were made of solid gold. Already the boys could see little dots of light in the channels of shadow cast by the low sun. Dusk was fast approaching. No doubt the council wanted to conclude this as quickly as possible.

That made the stallions all the more nervous. Summary judgment.

"Our sister tells us she has brought you two, the first two males to set foot in this city in twenty years, because one of you is, to use her word, unique."

They had not bothered to introduce themselves, maybe they didn't see any reason to, or maybe that was how the proceedings always went. Collin looked to his brother, still trembling, digging deep to find the inner strength he would need. He stepped forward to speak, drawing on every shred of willpower he had to control the quake in his voice.

"Yes... I am. I have gone to great lengths to keep myself hidden for as long as possible. I may look male, but I am-"

"He is blended." Akako cut him off, saving him from selecting a term that might cast him in a more distasteful light.

"Yes... blended." He brought his gaze to the bovine's, offering her a subtle nod in thanks.

"You were born this way, correct? You've had no enhancements or... modifications... made out of a sense of depravity?" The lady's voice dripped with disdain.

Collin frowned, taking offense at the notion, "What could possibly possess me to have someone alter me in such a way, knowing what the consequences could be if I were discovered?" He bit back his tongue once he realized he had taken perhaps a tad too much liberty in his tone.

"Mind your words carefully, boy. They could get you into more trouble than you already are." It was an old grey wolf, glaring at him for his disrespect. The previous lady, who had accused him of deviance, continued, her opinion on the matter already quite clear.

"I do not know how the mind of one such as you works. The risk of discovery might add a sense of thrill and intrigue that further entices you."

Collin shook his head, "No, your grace, I have not had any modifications. I am as I was born. And I take no pleasure in the idea of being discovered. It has been a constant fear, one that has shaped and guided how I live my life."

"Our sister tells us you are... functional. Is this true?"

Again Collin nodded, "Yes, I can bare young as you do. I've only just recently given birth in the last few days."

The conversation then turned away from him as bickering began to break out among the council.

"It isn't enough that they can bare young and sire them, they have to take our own means from us as well!"

"If they are permitted to breed, they will dilute the Great Father's lines until he is nothing but a memory!"

The shouts and accusations flew wildly, growing more inflated by the minute, as if this all heralded the end of their way of life, possibly even the world. Collin found himself beginning to cower under such harsh words, back-peddling towards Clyde. His brother's hand found its way into his and squeezed his palm, the arm attached to it dragging him back towards him further for support. The rage fed upon itself, filling the chamber and beyond, threatening to transform the council into a righteous, furious mob.

"That's enough!!"

The singular voice and a mighty crack of hoof on marble split the discourse as if the sound could cleave through stone. Immediately, the council fell silent, all eyes turning to the one who spoke. It wasn't Akako, but the buffalo immediately adjacent to her, taller, fuller, older. Where she stood, all could see cracks and fissures in the rock under her hoof. The stamp had been enough to shatter the floor. Her garb was ornate, similar to the smaller bovine's but restricted to little more than a headdress, a necklace, and a pair of silks running the length of her arms. She commanded everyone's immediate and unquestioning respect.

"I grow tired of this! My daughter brings this remarkable young man to us and all you can do is spill words of doom and chaos! What would you have done to him!? Arrest him!? Jail him!? Kill him!?"

Akako stood and moved to taller woman's side, "Mother, some of their concerns are worth investigating."

"Yes, of course they are! But not like this!" She raised her gaze towards Collin, lifting a hand to gesture to him, "Step forward. Let me have a look at you."

Without hesitation, but with a considerable degree of trepidation, the stallion did as he was told, his brother remaining behind.

"Both of you, and stop cowering. I'm not going to squash you." Her tone may not have been terribly jovial, but that was what she was aiming for. Her emotions were still running high. At least she was trying to assuage their fears. Clyde joined his brother as the heavy buffalo took the younger of the two gently by the arm and guided him to turn about, running a hand across select stretches of his form. It wasn't a gesture of appreciation, but curiosity.

"Forgive me ma'am but... what should I call you?"

The bovine turned him again, this time with a soft, unintentional jerk, not unlike a mother trying to swiftly dress a child, "You may call me Yera. If you survive this visit, you may be given the privilege of knowing my name. Tell me boy, who sired you?"

Collin stuttered, gasping as he felt two large fingers trace down his rump, brushing over the pucker of his anus, then along to cup against his little secret.

"M-m-my brother and I... we were sired by... that is... our parents... I mean..."

Clyde stepped in to aid him, "We are direct sons of Siyu himself. His essence was used to sire us."

Again, the council began to speak amongst themselves, but in hushed whispers this time. They dared not enrage the chief again.

The dark lady concluded her examination of the younger stallion by turning him around again and giving his masculine features what might as well have been a firm fondling.

"I see. True sons of the Empire, and you both have this... addition?" She moved on to Clyde, giving him a similar once over. The older brother jumped softy as his bottom was probed in the same fashion.

"No, Yera, Collin does, but I am just an ordinary male," He paused, shivering a little as the buffalo's hands began to roam over his expectant middle, "Well, as ordinary as males get in the Empire."

The chief nodded, "I see. How many litters have you both carried?"

"This is my sixth. Collin gave birth to his sixth before we journeyed here."

"And who has sired your children?" The older woman turned to gaze at the trim horse, making him blush.

"My... my brother sired all of my foals."

She nodded, turning back to Clyde, "And he sired yours?"

The still heavy equine shook his head, "No, I have used the Great Father's essence. My brother cannot sire young. Only bare them."

The revelation seemed to cause a bit of a stir in the council, while the Yera only nodded softly, seemingly satisfied with their answers.

"I should like to have a look at your children. It's my understanding that the latest litter was brought with you. But that will come later. For now, I do not see any reason why we should fear either of you," The other council members protested, but were quickly struck down, "BUT!! In matters such as these, when so many of us believe as strongly as we do in fear for our great nation, it is for the Father himself to decide whether or not you pose any threat."

Again the council began to protest more boisterously. Collin pulled himself in closer to Clyde as he felt the mob-like anger beginning to swell.

"Is the Father's word not good enough!? Or are you afraid he might see things differently than you!?" It was Akako's turn to show her vocal strength. She knew her place, and when she could flex her political muscle. It silenced the dissenters almost as effectively as her mother. The Yera grinned a bit down at her daughter.

"Well done. You'll head up the council just fine one day."

Akako bowed her head slightly in thanks, then turned her attention to the two boys before them.

"Come along. You'll need quarters for the time being." She strolled away from the group as they began to rumble away again, her mother stamping her hoof once more though not nearly as strongly as before. She was right, they squabbled a lot.

"I thought we were going to see the Great Father." Clyde protested.

"Not now. Later. He's a very busy man, and you are in no condition to see him. You'll need to give birth and recover before he can properly assess your fitness. You might as well get comfortable while you're here."

Collin remained quiet, biting his lower lip. It was going somewhat better than he expected. They had the chief on their side, and he could not feature the Great Siyu coming down harshly on them. But then he was sure there were political angles he could not see.

"How long will it be before we are taken to see him?"

"If your brother gives birth today, I would say within the week. Possibly sooner if his schedule opens up." The buffalo led the pair through the palace, heading up into the tower above rather than back down. And she didn't bother with their robes any longer. The palace wasn't heavily populated this far up, and anyone who passed seemed able to restrain themselves. They did get one or two dirty looks from time to time, though.

Eventually, they arrived in a chamber with an even more spectacular view than the high council chamber, looking out over the city below and the coast beyond. Even though they were so very high up, there was hardly any wind. A gentle breeze passed through from time to time, carrying the heady aroma of the Great Father. It made the boys weak in the knees. Akako saw this and crossed the room to a stone counter lined with small glass vessels. One was plucked and some of its contents were poured onto two of her fingers.

"Here, rub this around your nose. It will help keep you from succumbing to the fire. This close, you need the strongest lotions we make."

Collin and Clyde partook of the cream, smearing it quickly along the outside of their nostrils. It countered the effects of the prevailing scent, but it didn't mask the aroma itself. They both sighed, relaxing softly.

"Thank you. This is a gorgeous room. Do you treat all guests of the Capitol to accommodations like these?"

Akako frowned, "Certainly not. These are my private chambers. I don't welcome just anyone into my bed. But, since I've need to keep an eye on the both of you, and since I've already shared yours, it would only be fair that you share mine," She paused, letting that sink in for a moment, finally realizing what that might imply, "Don't expect this to be the usual appointment."

The boys shook their heads vigorously, their eyes wide, and went back to marveling at their surroundings. The bed itself was quite large, large enough for perhaps three or four people Akako's size. They wouldn't have any difficulty making room there. Lining the walls were ancient stone carvings and artifacts. They had only briefly heard of a civilization that predated Gangxia, but never had they seen evidence of its existence. One of the stone slabs detailed the story of how it fell within its intricate carvings.

"Where was this found?" Clyde spoke, leaning in to gaze more closely at the artistry.

Akako moved over towards them, needing a closer look to tell them correctly, "'The Fall of the Ancients', that was found in the great mines along with many other artifacts. It's become something of a fad, incorporating their architecture and aesthetic into our own. You probably saw replicas of their fertility idols in the smaller shops as we entered the city."

"The fall of the ancients?" Collin looked back towards the buffalo, "This isn't some piece of art for beauty's sake, is it?"

"Quite right," She nodded, moving her hands behind her back as she looked to the carving, "It tells a story of how a great fire came from the sky and fell on their city. Overnight, the center of their civilization was gone, buried by this catastrophe. Many sought refuge in the mines, others were far enough from the city that they were safe from the blast. When the morning came, all that remained was the enormous, smoldering crater that began to flood."

"Gangxia Harbor. The crater became our harbor." Clyde looked to the view outside, finding the lip of the body of water to be almost perfectly round.

"That's right. That's why we have a protected cove. The carvings go on to say that after the fire and flood, there was a strange sickness that passed through the survivors. It wasn't any illness they had seen before. It didn't incapacitate or kill. Instead, it rendered the men infertile. They could not carry on with their family lines. Something in the great fire from the sky brought with it a curse that robbed them of their ability to have children, but only so long as they stayed near the crater or anywhere the ash from the fire fell. Many of them left, headed further inland or along the coast. When they were far enough away, they found that some of the men regained their virility. As time passed, they found anyone who stayed too long was permanently robbed."

Her tone had turned somber by this point, feeling a great pain for those who had come before them. It struck a chord with the boys.

"That curse has long since faded, thank goodness." The older brother mused, leaving his younger brother to bite his lower lip, wondering quietly.

Akako shook her head, "As near as we can tell, it hasn't. There is something in the soil and water that causes this infertility, but only in men. Our ancestors had this problem. They would kidnap men from neighboring villages outside the influence of the curse, bring them back to our tribe and breed with them. Initially, they kept them, using them as often as they could. But they found over the course of a month or two those males lost their potency. They released them to return home and would go capture more to breed with."

"And then they found Siyu." Collin chimed in, suppressing a hint of a grin.

"Yes, the Great Father came to them and was brought in as part of the tribe. They expected him to lose his virility as well, but he didn't. Instead, he actually grew stronger."

Clyde frowned, "So that's why they're so scared of us, of any male from the outskirts. They're worried we'll break that strength."

Akako nodded, "There is a growing concern among many of us here in the city. He cannot go on forever. We wish to try and preserve his strength for as long as we can. There are those who feel that introducing others who can sire young will weaken his ability to resist the curse. If he fails before we can produce a more permanent solution, our way of life will come to an end. Anyone who is found to be 'deviant' has been strictly forbidden to breed out of this fear. But you two have been for quite some time. And if there is one, likely, there are others. We cannot afford to simply ignore you."

It was a lot to take in, and it suddenly made a lot more sense. Unfortunately it did little to take the edge off the fear of being mobbed. At least up here in the tower that all felt so far away.

"We never really thought about it like that." Collin frowned, looking down past his trim middle to the generous manhood he had been given. Now he wasn't sure if his difference was quite as harmless as he originally thought.

"Try not to worry about it. You will see the Father soon, and he will make a decision. I've sent word to have your physician brought to the city. Our healers are masters of the craft but there's something to be said for familiarity. She should arrive in a day or two. Come relax. You both have had a rather hard couple of days." The lady turned and crossed the short distance to the bed, climbing atop and lounging there against the enormous nest of pillows. She sighed as she reclined, having missed such comfort. The boys joined her, crawling up along the luxurious sheets to nestle in against her, dwarfed by her size.

For the moment, they could at least pretend this was where they belonged.

The wait to see the Great Father was long. So many had come to see him, either to get his approval for some change to the city, or to have a 'private' session as it was called. It wasn't nearly as private as the term suggested. The ladies came and went, each and every one of them bearing their burden, though some had not arrived with theirs. Curiously enough, the stallion brothers didn't receive near as much disdain from the passing citizens and nobles as they had previously. Perhaps the novelty of their presence had worn off. Or maybe they were all too busy to really notice. Akako took it as a good sign.

The four of them sat quietly, Fran having joined them only days earlier to help Clyde with his litter. She had been asked to join them when visiting Siyu so that she could answer what questions the boys might not be able to. It felt so odd to them being so slim again. The gravid state Akako had met them in had come to be seen as the norm. It felt almost like they were unwell in spite of the increased mobility and how they seemed to spring to their hooves every time they stood. No one in the Empire really realized just how strong their legs had grown until shortly after giving birth. It was mildly unsettling, especially when they were asked to not engage in any sort of intimacy. Going so long without left both brothers feeling the itch especially powerfully.

"What number in line are we again?" Collin asked, rubbing his thighs together as inconspicuously as possible.

"We are to be the twenty-seventh meeting for the Great Father today. It was the best I could do under such short notice. Usually you have to make your request two weeks in advance." Akako crossed her arms in front of her, resting them atop her vast, domed belly. She was just as bored as the others.

"Well, I hope it doesn't take much longer. I'm getting awful hungry." The younger stallion cupped a hand over his flat stomach, its growl audible to all four.

"The attendants will bring us food and drink while we wait when the time is appropriate."

Clyde shifted in his seat, adjusting his 'outfit' this way and that, "Do you think they could bring me something else to wear? This isn't exactly comfortable. It's very loose in the front." His 'clothing' did look somewhat odd on him. It was clear it wasn't meant for his build.

"It's traditional ceremonial attire. We didn't have anything for men. Try not to fuss with it."

Fran chuckled and helped her equine friend try to get his brazier positioned comfortably, unable to keep from oggling the boys in girl's clothing, "I think it looks cute on you. Just arch your back and push your chest into it. It'll work." She tugged gently on the cloth straps around his back, pulling the supportive garment closer to his chest. He simply didn't have the 'assets' to fill them. And the rather stretchy bands that surrounded his waist felt awkward as well. Clearly they were meant to wrap around and hold up a motherly curve.

He grunted as he was jostled softly, "It wouldn't be as embarrassing if it wasn't meant for a child."

Akako frowned, "A young lady about to become a woman, not a child. Every girl about to receive her first litter wears that. Show a little respect for it. That was mine when it was my turn in fact."

Collin tilted his head a bit, "So whose am I wearing?"

"Yours belonged to one of my sisters. We were both about the same size back then. Now, she's studying with the priestesses and manages to outdo me every time we have a litter." The bovine woman sounded modestly annoyed, perhaps jealous of her sister's fertility.

They all fell silent as they waited while the sun neared its zenith. One of the attendants Akako had mentioned earlier approached, carrying with her trays of food and water for those in wait to enjoy. She moved up along the line slowly, person by person, as Collin watched, his stomach growling again. She inched closer, balancing her tray on her middle as she handed out portions to the hungry visitors. She was only a few feet away, almost ready to serve them.

"Akako and guests, the Father will see you now." A tall striped feline called out, beckoning them in.

Collin groaned as he was pulled to his hooves and dragged away from lunch. At least they were going in now.

The group climbed the last flight of stairs to Siyu's audience chamber. As they did, the two horses were hit squarely in the face by the full intensity of the kangaroo rat's powerful scent. The air was thick with it, as if it were a dense fog. It set them on fire in a way they had never known before. The long 'room' was similar to the council chamber, open to the outside air. The cross breeze this high up no doubt carried his aroma for miles. In the center of the room was a great pool set into the floor, shallow enough to reach only the calves of most of the women, filled with the Father's rich, potent seed. It poured away from the pool in narrow channels, guiding it through the palace to all manner of places for all manner of uses. That was where the reflecting pools in the square below received their supply. It was direct from him, all of it. Several ladies stood around, some holding parchment and quills to take notes, others provided food and drink for the kangaroo rat.

There were others present, down in the pool with their object of worship. There were at least eight of them, all heavily pregnant, moreso than any who wandered the town or stood in waiting now. They had a strange movement to them, slow and deliberate, never sitting still. They bathed in the musky pool, moaning and grinding against one another or the kangaroo rat's legs and member. Their eyes were glazed over as if in a strange trance. The 'katesh', those who had become lost in his influence, addicted to the Great Father's scent and seed. It was a rare thing to happen, but some simply could not overcome the fire he kindled in them. No creams or salves could suffice. Separation from him and the potency of his seed resulted in painful withdrawal, and often death. Once someone taken by the 'fever' lost in the throes of their lust bathed in his pool, the chances of them emerging satisfied were remote. In the outer towns, they were little more than a myth. The boys were shocked to see they were real.

Standing amongst the writhing ladies at one end of the pool, hip deep in his own essence, stood Siyu. His beard had grown long, just about touching the base of his enormous shaft which floated in the lake of seed before him. It looked even bigger than the statues and idols had suggested it to be. As did his testicles, bobbing away with each shift of his hips. The symbol of the Empire's fertility, Gang Xi Siyu, was dwarfed by the ladies around him, and even his own member. It leaked continuously, providing a steady stream to keep the pool filled. It had been ages since he was last dry, and even longer since his shaft had been soft. He was decidedly more elderly than they had sculpted him, but he still possessed great vitality, and he was almost never seen without a smile.

"Father... it is good to see you again." The buffalo approached, moving to rest on the ground at the edge of his pool.

"Akako! It's been so long! How have you been!?" The diminutive fellow reached up to hug the girl as best he could, squeezing his daughter gently.

"I have been well. I wish I could have come to see you under better circumstances. There has been a development." She kept her tone even, not wanting to upset the old man.

"A development you say? What sort of development? Nothing terrible I hope."

"That would depend on your point of view," She turned to gaze at the three who had remained a respectable distance, beckoning them closer, "This is Clyde and Collin McKenzie from the outer regions."

The kangaroo rat turned towards the stallions as they approached, adjusting his glasses and squinting at them. After a moment, it dawned on him and he smiled brightly.

"Yes! McKenzie! You both are the spitting image of him! Please, come, sit! What can I do for you? It's so rare I get to see other boys anymore!" His enthusiasm was contagious, or at least the positivity of it was.

Clyde couldn't help but smile, "I'm flattered you recognize who our ancestors were. And, we were actually brought here because my brother is... a little bit different."

That seemed to pique the elderly fellow's interest, "Oh? Different? Different how?"

Collin stepped forward, blushing as he attempted to speak up. He was actively revealing himself now, after years of keeping his secret concealed. There were several ladies present, and he had no idea how they might feel about his little revelation. Surely with Siyu present, they would at least compose themselves respectfully. Still, the very idea of outing himself felt very strange to him.

"I'm... I'm a hermaphrodite." His subdued proclamation was met with gasps of disbelief and muted horror by the attendants. Clearly they didn't hold the notion in terribly high regard.

Siyu meanwhile had something of a different reaction. His eyes widened and his grin returned from behind the thoughtful expression that had briefly taken over.

"Really? Well let's have a look at you! Turn around for me!"

Collin's blush deepened, but at least the kangaroo rat's elation was infections. Not sure what he was being asked, the horse began to turn about in place, spinning a few times. With the initial shock passed, and the Great Father's jubilance seeming to spread, the attendants began to chuckle. He wasn't sure if it was because Siyu took the idea so lightly or if his little spin looked cute to them. Either way, he couldn't stop the deepening of the rosy hue in his cheeks.

After a brief moment, a small hand reached out and gently stopped him, leaving his backside facing the short fellow, and then softly guided his thighs apart. A short laugh came from behind him as his hidden features were found.

"Would you look at that? I would not have believed it if I had not seen it for myself," His hand retreated, not trying to probe or prod in any way, permitting Collin to turn back around, "I apologize if this sounds crass or blunt but, does it work?"

Collin nodded softly, now wishing he didn't have to speak, "Yes, I've had several children."

"That's wonderful! You must be so very proud!" The kangaroo rat gave the stallion's thigh a pat, his smile never flitting for an instant.

"Actually, sir," Clyde cleared his throat, "It's been a source of great stress for the both of us. When he was discovered, we were almost immediately forced to come to the capitol by order of the High Council. They wanted an examination of the both of us."

Before he could proceed further, seeing Siyu's expression turn to an unhappy frown, Akako stepped in, relieving the stallion of the chance of accidentally slandering the government. He was still in unfriendly territory after all.

"I brought them by order of the council, father. It was their concern that this... difference... could be a potential threat to our way of life. Mother thought it best to let you come to a decision on the matter." She chose her words carefully, unsure how the ladies tending to Siyu's needs and affairs might take any hint of partiality one way or the other.

The kangaroo rat nodded, lifting a hand to stroke his beard. It was a lot for anyone to take in, knowing the political climate and whose agenda was being served how, but Siyu seemed interested in only the very heart of the matter. His expression quickly softened and he reached out, giving Collin's thigh a pat once more.

"Well why don't we just have a little talk? See if we can find out what kind of 'threat' you two pose," he waved a hand to the attendants, who quickly brought the stallions cushions to be seated on, "You had to be out there for quite some time waiting. I hate that it takes so long to get through my ledger for the day. You must be hungry." As if his spoken word possessed some magic power, food suddenly appeared, brought by his attendants.

"Oh thank you! I'm starving!" Collin broke his silence as he settled and pulled the bowl of rice in front of him into his grasp. Clyde was similarly grateful and energetic about having a meal while Akako was more measured, taking her time in selecting only a few pieces of fish she cared for.

"Now then, tell me everything. I want to know all about you two." The elderly rodent waddled his way closer to the edge of the pool and rested on a ledge just below the surface of his personal lake. He had to eat too, and he preferred to sit while doing so.

"Everything?" Clyde inquired between bites.

Siyu nodded, "Everything! I don't get to leave the temple hardly at all anymore. This has gotten a little unwieldy in the last couple of decades." He reached out and gave his perpetually stiff member a firm slap. Any stimulation he received through it he seemed all too used to by now. The two stallions looked at one another then back at Siyu, having expected a great deal more formal meeting and conversation. This felt like they were talking to a doting grandfather. Then again, that was essentially what was happening.

"Okay... where to start?" Clyde cleared his throat, "Our parents had us sired at the temple, so... technically you're our father. I've been going there for every litter I've had and I've been siring Collin's. We've had quite a few children together."

"That's wonderful! But why have you not been siring each other if you can?" He didn't seem to care that he wasn't the only source of fatherhood.

Collin lowered his gaze, "I... I can't. We've tried, but... it doesn't work."

Siyu frowned softly, "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to open an old wound like that."

"You don't need to be sorry. It is what it is." It did seem to bother Collin a bit.

"Well, if you stay long enough, maybe I could have the priestesses have a look at you, find out what the problem is. I hope you two will stay for a at least a few days." His enthusiasm returned, though somewhat muted. Possibly because he was in the middle of eating.

His request for them to remain offered them hope. His further offer to have the priestesses examine him in a more curative fashion further nurtured that hope.

"We... we would be honored..."

"Good! There's a big festival in a few days. I would hate for a couple of out-of-towners like you boys to miss a chance to visit! Just stick with me, you'll get to see some really amazing stuff. The artisans and craftswomen all come out and show off what they've been working on recently; new inventions, fantastic designs, it's quite a show! My favorite time of year, one of the few times they carry me out into the city. Oh, and they have the biggest clam bake you can imagine!"

The city was even more spectacular at night than it was during the day. Special lanterns surrounded by highly polished metal sat near the base of many of the buildings, casting their light upwards along the long, vertical lines. Flags and banners were hung overhead. The citizens were all having a marvelous time; dancing, strolling, chatting, laughing. Many were showing off their latest creations, dazzling audiences with demonstrations of the newest inventions. The smell of food was heavy in the air, managing to somehow, albeit temporarily, overpower the scent of the Great Father.

The boys had once again been cloaked for their own protection, and not permitted to wander too far from Siyu's entourage. He mentioned something about the opening announcement to officially kick off the festival. They were told they shouldn't miss it. Stories of the festival had reached their little town, but they did no justice whatsoever to the grandeur and scale of the event. It spanned almost the entire city. The harbor was filled with ships, paper lanterns hanging from their masts and booms. It was as if the bay was alive with light.

Siyu himself stood in the great reflecting pool before the palace, one of the very few places he could actually stand anymore, and still be able to move about. With his source now so close to the ground and not in the palace to provide the flow necessary, the statues of him no longer oozed his musky seed. A temporary matter. He wandered this way and that, pressing close to one side to partake in a demonstration or listen to one of his daughters go on about her masterpiece. His giddiness at all the marvels the city had brought forth was infectious. The elderly fellow acted as if he were sixty years younger.

Eventually, he was brought to the end of the pool nearest the palace and hoisted up atop a great seat of stone, cushioned by cotton wrapped in the finest silks. His manhood rest atop its own 'throne', both for his own comfort and so that it would be displayed. As he was settled into place, the square grew quiet, all eyes drawn to him as he sat above everyone.

"It has come time in the year once more where we remember the first day that tiny tribe ventured out and brokered its first deal with the neighboring town. Almost eighty years ago tonight we took our first steps towards becoming what we are now. And look how far we have come. I never thought I would live to see this place become what it is, and I consider each day a blessing, that I am permitted to remain among my daughters and marvel at their creativity, their cunning, and their strength."

A cheer rose from the audience. The kangaroo rat lifted his hands to calm them. He certainly had more to say.

"As much as it may pain some of you to even consider... I will not always be here. I am mortal after all, and one day, I will fade. It is the natural order to things. It is why I want to enjoy my time here as much as I can, surrounded by my family, my people. And it breaks my heart when I see any of you at odds with one another," he paused, letting that rest in the air for a moment. The citizens all looked briefly to one another, puzzled by such a statement, "Recently, it has been brought to my attention that there are stories of Gangxians who are... different. They are both male and female at once. And from what I understand, this notion is widely regarded as something to be afraid of."

Collin looked to his brother, his eyes growing wide hearing the old rodent address the entire city about his condition.

"He's going to tell everyone, Clyde! He's going to tell everyone, and they'll tear us limb from limb!" His panic grew more pronounced even as his brother gripped his hand tightly.

"Stay calm. He wouldn't do this and let anyone harm you. You know that."

Siyu continued, in spite of the whisper passing through the crowd, "I would like to put these rumors to rest. They are, in fact, not rumors at all. They are true. There are those in our family who are of both genders. I have spoken at great length with the Yera and the Council. They have their concerns. They worry that these... 'deviants' as some call them... could be a threat to the line. I ask you... does this look like someone who could pose any of you a threat?" He gestured back towards the stallions, beckoning them forward.

Akako nudged them towards the kangaroo rat, tugging on their cloaks until they were uncovered, clad in the same garments they had been dressed in when they met Siyu. Gasps spread through the audience as the two males were unveiled. Collin mustered his strength, fighting against the urge to flee. He squeezed his thighs together, but it could not help the sizable bulge he possessed. Clyde held his hand tightly, anchoring him physically and emotionally.

"These two came from one of the outlying towns. There the reach of the curse is limited. There, others like them, other males have continued to father their own children, without my direct influence. This has been the case for decades. And now, there is cause for so many of your sisters to cry out in anger, because one of them has been given both genders," He turned to look at the two stallions, "This is Clyde and Collin McKenzie. Direct descendants of the farmer McKenzie who provided us the food our fledgling tribe needed to survive. If it were not for their family line, we would not be here today. And now, two of my sons have come back to me."

He reached out to the boys, beckoning them closer. They both stepped towards the elderly kangaroo rat and found themselves embraced by him. His reach was not quite enough to bring a hand to each back, but the sentiment was conveyed well enough. He lowered his voice, speaking only to them.

"Thank you for coming to see me, boys. I cannot tell you how proud I am to see your courage in standing here with me."

They were both slightly taken aback. His show of affection for them, so publicly, was touching... and perhaps well calculated. The crowd began to settle, still somewhat uneasy about the idea of men in their city, but Siyu seemed to take no issue. He pulled away and began to address the crowd again, but in a manner that was conversational to the boys.

"So, you were both sired using my seed. And Clyde, you have given your brother children but he has not given you any. You have used my influence for that. Please explain why."

The older horse cleared his throat, now feeling the tinges of stage fright that must have been coursing through his brother.

"My brother cannot father children. He is sterile. But he can bare young."

Siyu nodded, "But he possesses a woman's strength to do so, correct?" His use of the word 'strength' puzzled Clyde for a moment. The dialect of the city was different. Seeing his confusion, Siyu gestured subtly in reference to his brother's womb. 'Strength' must have come to mean a woman's physical ability to carry a child.

The stallion nodded, reaching out and wrapping an arm around Collin's shoulders, keeping him close, "Yes, my brother is strong."

Siyu nodded with a smile, "Why don't we show everyone how strong you both are?"

Clyde and Collin looked to one another. He couldn't mean what they thought he mean, could he? Here? In front of all these people? So many of them so against the idea of just a single male in the city, let alone two?

"Are you sure it would be... acceptable?" Clyde asked, sounding rather unsure.

Siyu waved a hand dismissively and canted his head to the side, "It'll be fine! The only real problem would be if it didn't fit! Come on. You both have been using the statues for so long, here's your chance to use the real thing. It's a pretty rare offer."

With great uncertainty, they both agreed. The three were brought down to the pool below where they were accosted by the katesh in their need for more of the Great Father's life-giving essence.

"Just ignore them... they're harmless. Mostly." Siyu chuckled, giving the nearest few a pat on the head, which only seemed to spur them on more. He motioned for the boys to step into the pool with him.

The stallions did as they were told, feeling as though they didn't belong within twenty miles of this place. The warm ooze washed up over their legs, but only up to the bottom of their thighs, standing a great deal taller than Siyu himself. The kangaroo rat shuffled about, turning until he had brought Collin to him, hugging his waist fondly.

"Now, this might hurt a bit. The statues in the outskirts aren't the most recent ones. I've gotten bigger since then."

Collin nodded, trembling a bit as he felt those diminutive hands move him into position. The younger stallion found himself bent over, leaning against the edge of the pool, his legs spread, his ceremonial 'gown' slowly soaking in the free-flowing essence below.

The katesh continued their fondling of the rodent's manhood, never able to have enough. They remained closely bound to him even as he began to part the horse's quivering nethers. Collin gasped as it began, the monster working its way into him. Siyu wasn't joking about the size difference. He winced and groaned, twisting his hips this way and that to find relief from the unbelievable girth sliding into him. A heavy bulge formed in his stomach as only a small portion of Siyu's member stretched him out. And it continued to grow, pressing out away from him. Siyu himself walked forward, a single step at a time. It had been quite some time since he had been with a partner as unused to his size as this.

The constant stream that kept the pool filled didn't yield, not in the slightest. Already Collin could feel his belly beginning to balloon a bit from what was leaking into him. Realistically, that was as far as Siyu had to go, leave it there for a moment, and pull back out and the deed would be done. But no, he was going full tilt. The kangaroo rat pushed onward, sinking foot after foot of his legendary spire into the stallion, making him cry out. The audience watched on as the sight unfolded before them. Siyu's point had been taken more to heart than either of the brothers expected. Some were actually enjoying the show, engaging in their own acts of pleasure, usually with whoever was standing immediately next to them.

Collin didn't care. He couldn't. His mind was pinpoint focused on the sensations running through him. His own shaft throbbed away powerfully, dripping its ooze into the pool he stood in. The katesh continued their massaging of their father's generous rod, one or two moving to do so through the horse's flesh. They didn't neglect Collin's length either, licking, stroking, and nuzzling away. It wouldn't provide quite as strong of a reaction as from Siyu, but they were desperate for whatever was available. The horse's legs quaked as he felt those two grand spheres press and mold against his calves and the kangaroo rat's hips bump against him from behind.

He was completely inside. Every inch of the legend was now lodged firmly within the horse. The russet bulge continued to round out while the protruding distension above bumped against his nose and lips. He could kiss it if he wanted to. Immediately, Collin's arms wrapped around the huge invader, hugging it to him as tightly as he could. It was all he could think to do. His hands groped at the tender mass under his flesh, finding himself beginning to wriggle atop it.

Siyu chuckled sensing that reaction, pleased by it. He hunched forward a bit, pressing his chest into Collin's back, drawing his hips away. The distention in the horse's abdomen shrank somewhat, not reaching quite so near his face, but still steadily swelling and sloshing below, leaving him whimpering. A firm buck from behind stole his breath away again. His dark, rigid member dangling about in the air, being treated to a rather enticing bit of attention from the katesh, pulsed and dribbled, threatening to explode so early.

Collin's cries of elation could be heard across the entire square, growing louder and sharper each time Siyu thrust forward. The audience's participation had grown to encompass all within earshot. Some began climbing the golden statues, making use of them in spite of their lack of flow. What had been the horse's first time with the Great Father had become an orgy. And he didn't even know he was participating in it.

The stallion's lungs burned and screamed for relief as his passage quivered and squeezed around the mighty oak of a shaft shoved in him. His passage contracted powerfully, clamping down onto the intruder, not wanting to let it leave, even as pressure began to build in his womb. He was little more than a balloon at this point, his belly sagging down into the pool, touching the bottom, almost lifting him off his hooves. He was certain there wasn't any more he could take.

And then Siyu bucked hard one final time, sinking his shaft back in completely. A groan rose out of the kangaroo rat as he unleashed a near-volcanic eruption inside Collin. The horse shrieked and nickered at the top of his lung, feeling his stomach gurgle under him, straining to hold back the torrent being pumped into him. He could not take it all. The excess began to flow out around Siyu, pouring into the pool. A tremor ripped through Collin's folds, orgasm forcing his back to arch as he contributed to the bath the katesh were enjoying. His own length gushed forth, splattering across the face of one of the ladies tending to it under him, much of it simply disappearing into Siyu's vast stockpile. Maybe this is what they meant when they said they were afraid of other males diluting his essence. It didn't seem to matter at the moment.

Finally, the kangaroo rat slowly retreated, letting the stallion's stomach shrink, but not completely. When he had emerged completely, Collin's petals struggled to close, remaining a gaping, sticky, free flowing mess for a time. Gallons of seed were dumped from his overtaxed womb, but not all of it. He managed to clench up tightly enough to hold back a small ocean inside him. Some continued to trickle down his thighs, but his middle remained heavily swollen, almost as large as his last litter had made him. Collin panted and collapsed at the side of the pool, his head, arms, and shoulders hanging on the edge. The rest of him submerged, resting on his knees as the warm essence washed over him. His belly spread gently on the smooth stone floor like a cloth sack of grain, no longer straining his legs. His eyes fluttered a bit as he lay there.

His peace didn't last long.

Akako, with the help of two others, began hoisting him out of the pool. They knew if he stayed there too long, he might become one of the katesh. With care, they dragged him out, resting him on his back just away from the lip of the musky vat. Fran pressed a palm to the horse's stomach as he lay there panting, making his belly rise and fall rapidly.

"That must have been one hell of a ride. You're gonna be alright, sweetie," She closed her eyes, reaching out with her senses as she felt along his abdomen, shaking her head in disbelief, "Only a week or so after you gave birth and you're already expecting again. Damn he's strong."

Akako nodded with a smirk, "It's rare anyone in the city spends more than a few days between pregnancies. Congratulations Collin, you really are part of the tribe now."

Siyu nodded with a grin, "One good session is all it takes to be accepted. See if you can't figure out a way to help him with that sterility problem. Use the same tricks I've had used on me if you need to."

The buffalo tilted her head slightly, "You want us to make him big like you?"

"Well, bigger than he is, if that fixes it. I don't know how much he might enjoy being stuck like I am." He chuckled, gesturing to the eight ladies all but clawing at his member now that it was available again.

"We will see what we can do." The bovine lady caressed Collin's sloshing middle as the priestesses got to work almost immediately. They would need to test his virility after each attempt. He was going to be all sorts of worn out for days.

Siyu grinned as he saw them begin their work, then turned to Clyde, "So... ready for your turn?"

The still slim brother gulped quietly having seen everything his brother went through. He wasn't sure he was ready for this. Hesitantly, he stepped forward and assumed the same position Collin had taken. As if expecting it this time, the katesh began teasing and fondling his delicate regions just as they had for his brother. His tail was hoisted up and pushed aside as Siyu shuffled forward. A similar jerk and start claimed Clyde as he felt the real thing press against him, not just some tepid metal replica. Or as small.

The stallion gasped and grunted, lifting one of his legs up slightly as his anus parted around the impressive length. His belly began to swell almost immediately, just as his brother's did. Endless inches followed as everything began to blur. He was going to be incredibly sore in the morning. Both of them would be.

Family bonding came in such unusual forms.

Back to search