FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A Midwinter Promise

By Beefy the Bull

December 2023

While much of Aljistar's story is of a hard path, there are many beautiful meadows too. On mid-winter's eve, the Minotaur stops at an rural tavern for a night.

Aljistar :

It snowed steadily as I crossed the village's muddy street on the large hopping stones that kept one out of the perpetual mud that made the street, just as the sun touched the horizon. The village was only six buildings, a tiny magistrate's hall, a blacksmith's home and attached forge, three small homes, and an inn. I approached the inn warily examining the building, stone and timber, with a thatched roof, like the rest of the village. This one had four chimneys however, and several of them were smoking, and it was bigger then the rest of the buildings around. It likely served the surrounding farms and families as a place for gathering and community. An old barrel sat out front by the door and a hand painted wooden sign over the door read “Chester's Merry Inn and Public House". I examined the sign and area around the door carefully as I neared, looking for indications I may not be welcomed. Some taverns and inns were direct, and had a sign saying “beast-men not welcomed" or such, and some were specific to say “all kinds welcomed". In foreign lands I never new what reception to expect, and this would be no different. It was snowing and there was no one on the street, so gauging the reactions of locals as I approached the door was not an option. I grasped the latch and entered, it was warm inside with fires in the two main hearths and a glow from the kitchen. Meat, stew, and bread were cooking by the smell, and a minstrel played a lute in one corner. The six patrons in the main room all looked to see me entering the tiny door. I stopped and shook the snow off my shoulders and brushed it from my canvas hoof covers. The patrons gawked for a moment then returned to their business. The bar keep didn't shout at me to leave, but nodded to me and continued pouring, so after removing my hoof covers and placing them by the door, I looked around. It was a human establishment, but there was one larger table with four chairs at one end sized for larger kin like me. Often that was the best way to tell how welcome I was, if they had furniture to my scale it boded well to getting a room for a night.

As custom for my kind I approached the keeper and advised them of my name and intention.

“I am Tavish, I am a traveler passing through, I wish to stay the night and leave by morning, I would like food, drink, and a bed for the night if you have one." I said bluntly.

I think it is what humans expect of my kind, and it was best to not leave my intentions unknown unless someone might decide that I was a threat in some way. I also used a cover name, never my own when on the road.

“Well Tavish, you dun come to the right place, we have all those things." The in-keep said. “For your sized-folk the price for all three things is eleven silver pence for the night. Two silver for additional drinks. We have no fighting or shouting here, or the magistrate w'ull sure throw you out."

“Very well." I said softly, I wasn't here to make a reputation.

He reached under the bar and pulled out a huge ceramic tankard sized for a larger beast man, and started to fill it from a large tapped barrel of cheap house ale. “have yourself a drink and a find comfortable place, the dinner will be out soon." He said sliding the tankard to me. “The room for lager folk to sleep is at the end of the hall with the red door."

“You are a kind host." I replied formally with a slight bow as I set the coins on the bar and then took my tankard to the end of the large communal table that had the larger chairs my size.

The minstrels music was generally soft, and occasionally a lively flute tune was played, and a drunken farmer would sing some melody while his friends cackled. A better dressed human eventually got up from another table and approached, he asked if I liked to play any tavern games.

“Not for coin." I said flatly expecting him to leave if he couldn't swindle a traveler with cheated games.

“no, no not for coin, just fun." He said and produced a pack of cards and some dice. He looked at me carefully and placed a hand on the back of the smaller chair next to me expectantly.

I nodded slowly, and he sat, opening the cards and laying them out face up, to show they were a normal and proper card deck. I looked them over and nodded.

“My names Bernhardt, I like to meet travelers in town and hear about the road, and play cards of course." He said as he picked up the cards and shuffled them back together.

I just nodded.

“The quiet type eh? Do you have a name friend?" He said with a smile.

After a moment I replied slowly. “I am Tavish." Then took a drink and looked at him flatly.

“Well its a pleasure to meet you Tavish, you can call me Bern. Do you know how to play 21, or gambit?" He asked as he finished shuffling.

“I have played gambit, I do not know 21." I said trying to relax some, and taking another sip of the warm ale.

“Wonderful, it's always good to learn something new. 21 is like gambit but with cards." He said.“Usually its played for keeps…we need something to represent the winnings, I use what we around here call bar-pebbles. He produced from his pocket well worn bag of 50 small round pebbles, and poured them on the table. He counted and divided them in half, giving half to me, and putting half to his side of the table.

He showed me the rules and we played a practice round. Then he put up three pebbles in the middle as “Buy in" I also slid three pebbles to the pile in the middle of the table.

He placed two cards face up, one in front of me and one in front of him, then placed two more face down, one for each of us. We each peeked at the face down card. I had a ten face up he a four. I had a six face down. I stayed at 16, he hit dealing himself another card. He looked then stayed. We both flipped our cards over revealing we each had 16: I a six and King, he a two a four and a 10.

He laughed and split the pebbles back apart “draw" he announced. We played two more hands before the barkeeps wife delivered for each of us fresh from the kitchen, a clay-ware bowl of meat and vegetable stew and a piece of bread resting atop it.

We put the cards aside and ate as the rest of the patrons did the same, the inn becoming quiet as the minstrel also ate at the public table. After the meal was small talk about village gossip and shortly the minstrel picked up his lute and continued to play.

Bern and I played a round of 21 and both drank a second mug of ale.

We played cards and drank till late, Bern and I becoming more relaxed as the fire grew old. At some point Bern placed an arm on my shoulder, and it didn't bother me. Normally I would have pushed my chair back and stood, but we laughed instead.

After the next drink was served Bern spoke up. “You know, this pub has a hot water bath? the in keeper will heat the water for 5 gold pieces."

“Hum." I replied examining my cards.

“How about a wager? We each put up two guild and five silver, and the winner of the next three rounds gets a hot bath?" He said

I furrowed my brow. I liked the idea of a hot bath at half price. I quietly slid my half of the coins across the table to the ante pile of pebbles we had played for so far.

“Very well!" He said energetically as he dropped his half, then slid it to the tables edge.

“Chester, can you heat the bath?"

The bar keep walked over examining the coin before taking it up. “Ill lite the fire now."

A fourth drink was served and Bern had lost one game of three.

“If I win I will take pity on you and let you bathe with me if you wash my back!" He said as he dealt cards. “hopefully you will be as generous on the off chance that you win!"

As we played two more rounds, and I won two of the three, winning my coveted hot bath.

Bern cleaned up the cards wistfully, “well enjoy your hot water Tavish. I wish I could join you on such a bitter cold night." Then he looked over at me.

The bar keep showed up, “The baths are over there", and he pointed to a doorway leading in to a separate room, “The fire will burn for about an hour, then die down. The far tub is coldest, the close one is hottest. Make sure you pull all the corks when you are done as I change a silver each to pull them myself. Enjoy your bath." And the bar keeper left.

The night with bern had been great sofar, he was honest and friendly to me, and sharing the bath seemed decent as he had paid for half of it any way. I put a hand on Berns shoulder and guided him in to the room without a word, then closed the door.

The room was stone with whiteish plaster, and the middle of the small room was filled with three large rectangular stone tubs on the floor, each lined with clay tiles and filled with now steaming water.

A wood bench to one wall had provided soap, brush, and towels.

I was admittedly nervous at this point, knowing my sexuality and that Bern unaware of it. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable with mine, and hadn't disclosed my… interest… in males.

I had lived communally before and bathing with other males was not an issue usually, but I was a few drinks in and had desires building up from a long time alone on the road.

Undressing casually despite my fears, I grasped the soap, but Bern, also undressed, grasped the brush. We entered the farthest tub first to rinse and wash away dirt. The water was lukewarm and I splashed it on my face and then carefully immersed as not to gore Bern with my horns. He hopped in and rinsed as well. I started to lather with soap and then passed it to him. I looked at him when he was turned away or not looking. he was handsome, his frame was strong and he smelled masculine. I fretted when my loins stirred some, concerned he may discover my interest in males, even though I knew I could play it off with a combination of jokes, crude remarks, and honesty- I had made it this far after all - and males of all species seemed to respond the same to the three standard methods of redirecting.

I stood from the lathering tub and stepped over to the rinse tub, and Bern saw my chub.

“Are you happy to see me?" He asked with a smile.

“I'm imagining your mother." I replied to direct attention away from my sexuality.

“Well shes not here, but I am." He fired back “so I'm sure that's not the case."

He called my bluff…

I sat in the middle tub, but the bench around the edge was at a depth for humans, and unfortunately for me that meant half of my cock was jutting out from the water, showcasing my arousal.

“If I didn't know better, I would say that was for me" Bern said pointing at my cock with a intentional shake of his hips, causing his swollen member and sac to sway beautifully as he walked from the lathering tub to the rinsing tub.

My boner bounced with my pulse, now at full mast, betraying my interest.

He walked in to the tub with me and fully immersed, rinsing off, before rising up from the waters with his face a foot from my loins.

“Tavish, I would be a bad friend to not help you with that." He said inches from my member, now pulsing and rock hard.

He reached forward slowly with his eyes locked on mine looking for rejection.

His hand grasped my cock, and as I didn't stop him he moved closer as he started to stroke it.

I let out a lowing sound as he did.

He leaned forward and his lips touched my tip, and I moaned aloud.

He started slow, testing my reaction, but picked up quickly as I didn't resist.

He stroked furiously with his hands on the lower half of my cock, and suctioned and bobbed with his head on the tip.

For me it was a tease, not getting anywhere. It felt good, but…

I moaned and let out a sorrowful lowing as he worked me.

After a good effort he paused, tired. “I'm sorry, I guess I thought I was good at that." Bern said wistfully.

“You, you are good. I just can't without…"

“A female… I understand." He said softly sounding disappointed.

“No." I said with a sigh.

Unable to say more I sat silent in the hot water. After a moment of hesitation I just stood and turned around bent over the edge of the thick stonework tub humiliating myself. Raising my tail willingly for once, I waited.

When a few thundering heart beats passed with nothing, I spoke once more.

“Please Bern? Don't make me beg. Please…just fuck me." I felt so low, willing bent over, willingly raising my tail. Begging him to fuck me, but I was rock hard as I waited a few more nervous and thunderous heart beats before his hands touched me. One on my hip, the other grasped the base of my lifted tail, and he slid up behind me in the water, his tip touching my pucker.

I moaned as he entered. He was easy to take based on his size, but I lowed with pleasure as he slid home to hilt. I started stroking myself as he fucked me bent over the tubs edge. It was kind of humiliating but I had needs.

I came after only a few minutes, lowing extra long and deep as he fucked me, my cock shooting in to my hand. My spasms gripped his length as he thrust as hard as he could, and he came in me, brought to orgasm by my powerful clenching. He flopped forward over me, still inside as he rested, enjoying the glow. I felt humiliated bent over under him, tail up.

After a few moments he withdrew, and I lowered my tail and turned back around quietly, sitting ack in the bath and nervously making eye contact.

Bern was smiling as he sat back in the tub. “I never figured you to want that…"

I looked away, I knew it was not just Minotaur lands that submission to another male was looked down upon.

“Tavish" he stood and reached over and grasped the side of my face turning me back to face him, he was standing in the tub as I sat, making us face to face despite my size difference.

“Thats not a bad thing, its the thing I want most. He leaned in and kissed me, holding the sides of my face. I reached up and carefully put my hands on his shoulders as we kissed. When he broke the kiss, he looked me in the eye.

“I don't want this night to be done yet, do you?" He asked still holding my face, and I his shoulders.

“No, not yet." I said quietly.

Looking me in the eye seriously for a moment he continued. “You don't have to beg… I want you to, But remember you can always say no." He still held my face, and wouldn't break eye contact.

He stopped me from turning and looking away in shame. “Okay?" He asked.

I had to look him in the eyes. “Okay." I said finally.

He leaned forward and we kissed again, this time he was more assertive in the kiss before breaking it off and stepping up on the bench next to me, and pointing at the middle of the tub.

“Sit."

I scooted to the center of the tub and sat, with the water now to my pecs. Taking a step closer, now he stood over me, grasping his erection giving it a few strokes as he pointed it in my face.

“Lick my balls." He said lifting his cock up and pushing his sack to my nose, while grasping my horn firmly with the other hand. I inhaled deeply this confident humans musk and my tongue reached out and tasted his testes. He tapped his rock hard erection on the top of my snout a few times then he continued to stroke it. I started sucking on his sac, and it was deeply satisfying to have what I wanted and not feel shame.

“Hands on my hips" he commanded, and I obeyed sliding my hands from the water and up his outer thighs. Once on his hips he let go of his cock and used my horns to push my snout off his sac, and command “now suck my cock." As my lips opened for him he pulled my face in to his crotch with my horns, and his cock filled my mouth. He moaned loudly, pulling on my horns and pushing with his hips.

He thrust several times but slowed down as I sucked his length and used my tongue to rub and stroke it. After a minute he reached back and grasped one finger from my hand and extended it, making it reach between his cheeks and touch his small rose.

“Rub it lightly." He said curtly as he focused on my suction.

For a while that was all we did, and he got close, but pushed my face off before he went over the edge.

One hand grasped under my snout and lifted it up to look him in the eyes. His rock hard erecting resting on the tip of my nose.

“Lick my balls and beg for me to cum in your mouth."

My erection peaked out of the water as he said it, and his bobbed some. He started stroking himself and his sac hung in front of my nose. So I licked it and his free hand relinquished my horn but found the back of my head. Licking and lapping at his balls, I stopped to plead for his cock.

“Please cum in my mouth." Then ran the tip of my tongue from under his sac to the base of his cock as he stroked.

“No. Keep licking." he said pushing my face back to his balls.

My cock strained and leaked at the denial, as I continued to lick and suck his balls, he was assertive and I needed that. After some more lapping of his sac I carefully licked at the base of his cock some teasing it, and asked making eye contact “Please can I suck you off?" Then continued to lick his balls while I looked up at him for permission.

“No. Turn around and bend over." He said standing proudly over me.

I turned around slowly and bent over the edge of the tub for him again.

I waited with my heart pounding and cock throbbing.

“Beg for me to fuck you" he insisted.

“Please, I … I need it." I said uncertainly, it was hard to say out loud even though this was what I wanted so bad.

“No, say it." He was stroking now.

“Please fuck me." I said as I started stroking myself.

He was breathing heavily “let go of that! You cum when I let you, get hands on the tub!" He growled.

His dominance was exhilarating, I let go of my aching cock and gripped the capstone surrounding the tub.

“good, now raise that tail."

I almost lost my load as he said it. I gulped, taking a ragged breath and lifted my tail for him exposing his next target.

He soaped up his cock and stepped up behind me. Slapping his rock hard member on my taint, and rubbing it up and down as he grabbed my hips, and then slapped my ass.

I moaned aloud as he entered me, taking up a cadence as he rode my ass. This was what I wanted so bad, what I needed. I collapsed over the edge of the tub and let him ride me. The splashing of water and sound of his hips rhythmically slapping my ass echoed in the baths.

He tried to reach around me but his hand couldn't grip more then my tip, I did enjoy that teasing hand, but he wanted more.

“Start stroking!" He commanded through a short breath.

I gladly gripped the base of my cock and started tugging it as hard as I could. I was so turned on and ready that it wouldn't be more then a few seconds before…

I stopped pulling and bellowed out a deep moan, my body spasmed as I came, jetting seed on the edge of the tub. Those spasms gripped Berns cock pushed him, and He moaned as he came, tensing up and pushing in deep.

After we were both spent, he withdrew and sat on the other side of the tub catching his breath after the exertion. I dropped my cock from my hand and pivoting away from the section of tub covered in my seed sat closer to Bern, 90 degrees from him. We were both quite for a moment, we were both quite satisfied and then I started to wash up.

"Here, let me." He said taking the brush and soap. Sitting on the edge of the tub behind me he lathered up the brush and started washing my back. It felt wonderful, the soap and hot water, the soft bristles working my pelt.

He stopped suddenly. His hand started to trace a scar across my back, normally hidden by my pelt. Then another, and another. His hands stopped moving, and he withdrew them from my back.

"Tavish, what...who did this to you?" He asked sounding off. I wasn't sure if he was disturbed, disgusted, or both.

I stood silently and moved to the other side of the tub facing away.

"My master." I said flatly remembering the lashings bitterly.

"...Are you... a slave?" He asked after a moment.

"No." After a pause, "not any more."

"Did you...?"

I turned around and sat back in the water across from him.

"Kill him? No. Someone else did. Escape? Yes." I said. Anticipating his next questions, well the ones asked by most were if I were a fugitive, or still claimed as another's property. Things that could get another in trouble if they harbored a fugitive. "I am freed now, there are no claims on me."

"Tavish, I... I'm sorry. I didn't know that." He said sadly.

"Thank you for the bath, with your permission I will take leave." I said standing

"Tavish, wait!" He said, also standing in the tub as I turned and started to step out.

He reached across and took my hand "Wait!"

I turned back, and he pulled on my hand beckoning me back in to the tub.

"Please stay and bathe with me."

I relented and sat back down. He remained standing and so we were face to face and he embraced me and we kissed again.

"Our pasts are only part of who we are now." He said when we broke lips.

He insisted on washing me thoroughly. I insisted on returning the favor, and used it as an opportunity to explore his body. We then sat in the last soaking tub, and enjoyed the steamy water and company. Bern had been an officer in the army before retiring to his home village to farm. He had a wife but they had long since parted ways.

"It probably had something to do with all the men I kept bringing home." He said laughing.

As the snow outside drifted up and the heating fire died-out we both got out and started to dry off.

"Lets go to your room, I'm tired." Bern said inviting him self to sleep with me.

I snorted at his self invitation and grabbed my clothes pile and bag. Bern pulled the corks for each tub, as human skin dried faster then pelt. The bath had a door leading to the inns back hall where the rooms were. There was one door in red that was obviously larger in size. Entering the room, it was small. A tiny window with a candle in it, a shelf built inset to the wall, and a bed made of a large rectangular wooden box. I lifted the layers to see what I would be sleeping on. The top was a stuffed cloth pad, over some woven straw mats, atop a mat of woven small wood branches, covering bed boards. Letting it back in to place I nodded in appreciation of the bed's construction.

Bern closed the door behind us, the room was cold compared to the baths, and we were still naked. We were both fairly spent so getting in bed was the obvious next move. I got in first, while the bed was sized for a beast-man, it wasn't much more than that. I lay on my back, and Bern climbed in and lay face down on my chest. With the blanket over us it was pleasantly warm. Between the long journey, the ale, and two rounds of incredible sex, we were both tired and slept. And though we had slept in, it was the longest night of the year, and the shortest day, it may have been about six in the morning, but it was still dark and icy cold outside,and too cold in the room to want to get out of bed. Bern rubbed his throbbing erection on mine.

He whispered to me his horny fantasy... and it was hot. He whispered about how he wanted to make me his farm's beast of burden, naked except for a leather harness, and hitch me to a plow, and use a switch to make me pull the plow while he manned it, watching my ass from behind. And once the fields were done for the day, he would take me to the barn and plow my ass. He told me we could make it real if I wanted...and I throbbed at the thought. Instead though he climbed up and sat on my chest, and pushed his cock in my snout.

"Suck." He said, and I complied.

I could easily suck his full length in my mouth, working it over with my tongue. I worked him hard, and he didn't last long before he lost his load in my mouth. I greedily swallowed his cum and sucked his cock dry, leaving him moaning.

This was the man I wanted to be my master, to treat me like a dumb beast of burden, and fuck me senseless everyday. That sounded like a wonderful life, but like all good things, it wasn't realistic. I knew I wouldn't be happy as a slave again. Even for Bern - for a day or a week with him? Sure. A month or a year? No. The road still called to me. There were many wrongs that needed righting yet.

---

Bern and I ate the taverns breakfast, and then we returned to our room where I packed. he asked me again to stay.

"I cannot." I said

"Stay with me for just one more night?" He almost pleaded.

"I can imagine a wonderful life with you on your farm. But I must complete my journey."

"What could I offer you to stay?" He pleaded.

"I will think fondly of you and your farm. I hope one day I can stay a while, and help you plow your acreage." I said sadly but truthfully.

He sensed my stubbornness and folded.

"Tavish, promise me that you will return?"

I stoped, and turned to him, and took a knee. "I swear I will return one day. And I will plow your fields, and ...grant you my freedom, for a time."

Bern was in tears, he understood my oath and what it meant.

Being face to face he kissed me, and we held each other for a while.

When he released me, I stood and slung my pack before opening the door to leave our room.

"What do you plant?" I asked standing in the doorway with my back to him.

"Corn." He said choked in tears.

"I will dream of that...My heart is heavy with love." I said after a moment, and left the room without looking back.

I walked across the public room and nodded to the inn keeper, then opened the door and stepped outside. It was cold and dark, and the snow was a foot deep. Turning west I took the first of many steps on a long journey.

-End for now-