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>"Arthur! Arthur get back here! Don't run off by yourself!" Screeches mother

>"Don't run off too far Arthur." Adds father, a tired air in his voice

>I ignore the voices behind me and continue my mad dash towards the odd sound I heard earlier

>It sounded like a cry, but also kind of like a meow, my mind rushes to the conclusion that it must be a lost kitten

>A kitten, I wouldn't mind having a kitten as a pet however my parents always rejected my wishes to keep a pet in the mansion

>"A young gentleman has no place wasting time caring for thoughtless beasts." They would always say

>I hated their disregard for my wishes

>I didn't want to learn to play the piano, I didn't want to study classical literature, I didn't want to play tennis or learn Latin!

>I wanted to play outside, conspire with friends, maybe teach one of those thoughtless furry things my parents hated so much to catch a ball or something

>A few of my friends had pets and they seemed nice, why can't I have one?

>I run with all the speed the legs of a five year old could provide, the pathetic mewling sound growing louder and more distressing

>I run down the sidewalk almost slipping on the slick cobblestone before coming up on the source of the sound

>A dark alleyway lay before me and somewhere within lay the stricken feline

>Steeling my nerves I cautiously move forward into the dim space, heart racing from the run over

>Soon the source of the sound appears before me, a rotten wooden crate containing a bundled up blanket next to a pile of rubbish

>With eager fingers I pull the blanket apart and peer down

>In it I see a shivering pile of gray and white fur, large swathes of it matted and stained

>But what my eyes are drawn to the most are the shining emerald eyes staring into my own

>Slit eyes, like a cats eyes, and on the face was a dull pink nose flanked by long wispy whiskers

>The sad little creature looks up to me and cries pitifully

>As if on instinct I reach down and lift the kitten out of the crate

>It's heavier than I thought, but I manage to stumble over to the entrance to the alleyway to see my parents rounding the corner

>"Mommy! Daddy! Look what I found!"

>I proudly present the kitten to my parents with a labored grunt and wide smile

>They both lean down with inquisitive gazes and study my new catch for a few moments

>"Dirty little thing. I bet it has fleas." Spits mother

>"It's clearly been living as a stray for some weeks. The fur is mangy and eyes are wild. Surprisingly large for a stray though." Says father, the kitten kicks the air as it realizes it has no solid ground to stand on. "And look at it's legs, they appear almost malformed with how long they are."

>Disappointed with my parent's reactions I bring the kitten close to my chest and pout

>"I want to keep him."

>"No son, that thing will probably bite you and give you a raging infection if you bring it home. We can't have our only child die from such a silly thing now can we? Best to leave it be."

>"No!" I shout in defiance. "I found him and he's mine! I want to keep him."

>"Arthur..." Mother trails off and looks at me with strong disapproval

>Father sighs and crosses his arms, looking to mother

>"What if we let him keep it for a short while? As a...hobby or something? To teach the young man responsibility? We'll let the maids take care of the animal if it proves too much for him."

>Mother waves a hand dismissively

>"Whatever. Just as long as it doesn't try to scratch me or tear up the rugs."

>"So I can keep him?!" I happily ask

>"Yes Arthur, you can keep the cat." He points a stern finger at me for emphasis. "But it will be your responsibility to feed, water, and walk the thing. Your pet is your responsibility. No one else's! You'll be keeping them safe and cared for through thick and thin!"

>I rapidly shake your head in response

>"Yes! Yes! I'll feed him and water him and give him warm milk and name him..." I hold the ball of fur in front of me, struggling to decide on a name. "...I'll name him...uhhh...Jack!"

>"Jack sounds like a fine name." Responds father, rubbing my head affectionately. “Now let's head home Arthur, and be sure to give that thing a bath first thing when we get to the estate will you? It smells something horrid."

>During the next several days me and my new pet got along like butter on toast

>That is until my 'kitten' started trying to walk on two legs

>Then it started trying to form words instead of meows

>To my parents' horror they learned that the kitten was not in fact a kitten but instead a female baby cat anthro, a maine coon to be exact

>Just goes to show what humans know about the furred kind, it took some arguing with one of the feline maids they employ to finally convince them that the oddly proportioned little kitten was not in fact a feral stray but a baby anthro

>Good thing they learned before they planned to have her spayed!

>I didn't see the kitten for the next several days after the discovery was made

>Awful possibilities filled my mind as I wondered what happened to her

>Did mother and father send her to an orphanage?

>Put her back on the streets?

>Send her to live with someone else?

>Did they find her original parents?

>Sure, even I knew I wasn't fit to care for a baby, but that doesn't mean they had to send her off to some faraway place where I would never see her again!

>To my relief I saw the white and gray kitten being carried by the head maid during an afternoon stroll around the property

>Turns out that she offered to take care of the kitten rather than allowing her to grow up in some uncaring and unkempt orphanage

>This I liked, the estate my parents owned was a safe and well maintained establishment, well suited for entertaining the whims of a growing child whether they be human or cat

>As the years went on I watched the kitten grow up into a girl while under the tutelage of the maids and groundskeepers that filled the estate

>Just one change though

>The head maid thought Jack was no name for a girl so she renamed her adopted child to Jacklyn

>I didn't mind her changing the name I originally gave the kitten

>Jacklyn is a pretty name

****************************************************

>I strain against the friction of the water as my last lap around the pool comes to a close

>Muscles threaten to give out as I come closer to the end, the edges of the white tiles that lined the pool growing more distinct

>With a final monumental push I manage to close the distance and slap the lip of the pool with a hand

>I raise my head out of the water and take a few moments to catch my breath

>Wew, surely with that performance I've beaten my previous record!

>A white towel is handed down to me from above

>My eyes drift up to a pair of black flats, then to a loose tan dress, then to the face of a familiar maine coon girl

>Jacklyn's changed quite a bit over the years

>Her once well defined gray and white fur has morphed into varying shades of a shimmering silver, the long white whiskers on her short muzzle have grown even longer with age and the fur around her cheeks and neck lengthened into long tufts giving her a regal, medieval appearance

>But perhaps the biggest change was her height

>Despite having a few years on her in the age department she now easily stood a full head above me, apparently above average height is common for her breed

>Which also explains why a line of stitches existed about a foot above the bottom of her dress, it was never anticipated that a female guest of the manor would possess such height so her clothing had to be lengthened with a few clever stitches and extra bits of cloth

>Not that she seemed to mind, she took to stitching like a duck to water

>I grab the towel from her paw and wipe my face

>"Thank you. How did I do that time?"

>She raises a large mechanical stopwatch to her face

>"You clocked in at five minutes and twenty eight seconds. You beat your previous record by three seconds young master." She says in the same flat, wispy tone that all the maids of the manor carried

>Guess she picked it up from her mother

>I look up to her with a smile

>"I'm glad to hear that. But we both know what that it doesn't make any sense for you to call me 'young master'."

>"It's what all the housekeepers call you." She answers with a subtle smirk.

>"They only do that because they're all older than me by quite a few years so I'm still 'young' to them. However not only am I older than you by four years but I'm eighteen Jacklyn, I'm a man."

>"Three years. You are only three years older than me." She smugly corrects me, hands on her hips

>I wave a hand dismissively

>"Whatever, my point still stands."

>She gives a deflated sigh

>“I could call you something different if you wish, I don't mean to be demeaning."

>I climb out of the pool and begin drying my arms

>"Arthur, Jacklyn. You can always call me Arthur."

>"Very well, Arthur." She says it with a hint of reluctance, a subtle kind of defiance that her lack of status prevented her from making more overt

>Jacklyn's spiciness was certainly something she didn't inherit from her adoptive mother who was practically a model maid

>Almost makes me feel sorry for the poor tabby

>I finish drying my upper body and throw the towel across a shoulder

>"Well Jacklyn I'm off to the library. Has my tutor arrived yet?"

>"No, Mr. Humbleton was delayed this morning when a tree fell on top of his carriage. He should arrive this afternoon, after the banquet."

>"Shame, perhaps I'll use the gymnasium until the banquet starts then."

>She suddenly averts her eyes from me and looks down

>I've known her long enough to know something's up.

>"Don't tell me you've been sneaking into the gymnasium at night again Jacklyn. It's off limits to estate staff except for cleanings. And hell, you aren't even technically staff, just the daughter of a staff member."

>She cocks her head and looks up to me, a couple pleading paws held out

>"I swear I don't mean you or your family any disrespect, it's just that I get restless sometimes. For so much of the day I'm just sitting down, or standing in place, or walking from room to room. And it's not like these dresses even let me do anything beyond a brisk walk! I need a way to let my body get the activity it needs sometimes. It just so happens that the gymnasium is nearby and empty near every night…"

>She trails off and I cross my arms in disapproval

>"And if I were to walk down there right now how many silver strands would I find on the equipment?"

>"Ummm, uhhh, a few." She meekly answers

>"Well go clean them off then help your mother or something. The gym is no place for a lady such as yourself."

>She puts her feet together and looks down submissively

>"Yes young mast- yes Arthur."

>She sharply turns on a paw and begins walking away, however my voice stops her

>"One thing though Jacklyn. The pool is always free to those that want to use it. If you want exercise it's not a bad way to get the body moving."

>"I…I can't Arthur."

>"Can't swim?"

>"Yes, and, well, cats and water don't exactly go together very well. Regardless of if they're feral or anthro."

>"Oh, I see. I'll see you at the banquet then Jacklyn."

>I wave her goodbye and she does the same

>My workout at the gymnasium goes well, however when I see the furry head of an older orange tabby, the head maid, pop in I stop

>"Young master?"

>"Yes?" I respond, leaning up from a bench

>"Jacklyn wishes to see you in her quarters."

>"Rather brave of her to ask a member of the family to her quarters rather than the other way around, don't you think?"

>The kindly tabby chuckles

>"It's…for a special occasion. My daughter specifically requested you to be the first one to find out."

>Her choice of words is odd, but if the smile on the cat's face was anything to go by I would like what followed

>After following the Tabby through the mansion we arrive at the maid's quarters and stop in front of Jacklyn's door

>I eagerly open it and step inside

>I see Jacklyn sitting on her small bed, hands in her lap

>But she isn't wearing one of the rag tag hand me downs that she usually wore, no

>She's wearing a well fitted black dress with a spotless frilly white apron above it, the standard uniform of a maid

>My eyes widen in surprise and her ears perk up upon noticing my entrance

>She rushes to her feet and walks towards me, beaming

>"Arthur! I've been made an official member of the estate staff!"

>"That's wonderful!"

>"I know! Mother finally thought I was old enough so she had this uniform made for me. Look!"

>Her eyes drift down and mine follow

>On the bottom of her dress I see…nothing unusual

>Just a solid flowing piece of fabric, no stitches or rough patchwork

>"She had it specially made to accommodate my height!"

>"You deserve it! Congratulations!"

>She rushes over and hugs me tightly

>It takes all the strength in my body but I manage to pick her up off her paws for a few seconds and spin her around, her black dress flowing behind her

>She chuckles madly while she's up in the air and when her feet touch the ground she has to put a hand up to her mouth to stop from giggling

>"I can't believe it! Finally I'm an official member of the staff. I'll receive pay, and responsibilities, and-and-and I'll get to be around you for as long as you're at home! We can be together forever!"

>"So you'll have to clean up after me for the rest of time? Sounds good to me!" I say with a smirk

>"Careful now Arthur! Remember that I'll be handling your food near every day from now on. You wouldn't want me to accidentally slip some laxative into breakfast the day of a big swimming competition now would you?" She says with a raised eyebrow

>My smirk dies

>"Okay, maybe I'll try to watch myself when drinking wine near our expensive white carpets then."

>I rub her affectionately on the head and her long wispy tail twitches behind her accompanied by a faint purr

>"I believe that's enough celebration you two, we've got quite a feast to prepare the mansion for." Butts in the tabby. “With all the guests the young master's parents invited this evening we'll be quite busy dear daughter, floors to sweep, tables to prepare, rooms to dust. Your first day as a maid will be a busy one!"

>The banquet turned out to be quite a spectacle

>My parents, in their usual overindulgence, invited near every man and woman of significance in a thousand mile radius to the estate

>Generals of wars both old and new, heads of state and their associated entourages of yes men, business moguls who gained their fortunes through means both legal and not so legal, celebrities including rising stars and faded has beens

>Father kept mentioning the daughter of some rich businessman to me

>He pointed her out but I couldn't care less

>A lady who tried to eat her soup with a fork wasn't exactly my type

>As the complex set of courses were served in our cavernous dining room my eyes were continually drawn to a certain maid with long silvery fur and a spotless dress instead of any of our illustrious guests

>She glided across the room as if on ice, her arms full of dishes and her tufty ears always visible above the heads of everyone else

>When she served me my final course, a bowl of Venetian pistachio gelato, I couldn't help but notice how mine was just a little different than everyone else's

>Pushed into the gelato were a few chocolate chips arranged in a smiley face with a several lines of chocolate sauce making thin whiskers

>I search the room for Jacklyn and our eyes meet for a brief moment, both of us sharing a smile

>From across the room she blows me a kiss

>I mimic catching it

>And put it in my pocket rather than blow it back

>Best not to lead her on too much

>If there's one thing my parents have made clear it's that I'm to marry a woman of similar stature to myself, a woman of proper breed and upbringing

>And Jacklyn, though I do fancy her, is just a stray

**************************************************************

>I step out of the carriage and into the heavy barrage of rain outside

>A gaggle of servants and maids come to greet me with umbrellas and lanterns, with my parents on an international business trip I had all of their attention

>"How was your trip to the mountains young master?" Asks the head maid

>Poor thing, she walks over to me with a slight limp now, the last few years have not been kind to her health wise

>I take the umbrella from her paw and smile

>"It was wonderful."

>"And Lady Harper? Was she as fair as we have been led to believe?"

>"As fair as a winter's first snow." I reply with gritted teeth

>In honesty Lady Harper was hardly agreeable to me

>The polar bear woman was the illegitimate product of an affair between an oil baron and his mistress

>Though she would inherit her father's wealth I found little to like on the personality front

>Not to mention her habit of eating raw meat causing the normally white fur on her muzzle to turn blood red after the one dinner we had together

>Just the memory of it makes my stomach uneasy

>At least the seal meat pies were served fully cooked

>Now a man of twenty five my parents have been putting increasing pressure on me to find a significant other

>Whether it was some innocent wish to see their grandchildren before they passed or a more pragmatic reason to ensure our wealth had a line of continuation beyond me I didn't know

>Thinly veiled dates masquerading as 'business trips', vacations to other estates with not so subtle orders to mingle with some of the ladies there, inviting over a few daughters of politicians who just so happen to all be single

>Their ploys were getting tiresome

>At least with my parents on the far end of the world I wouldn't have to hear their incessant nagging for a few more weeks

>Me and my entourage make our way into the estate and I find it as warm and welcoming as always

>Candles burn their steady flame, windows polished to a reflective sheen, not a single speck of dust could be seen

>I wish the servants away and make my way to my quarters

>A few glasses of hard liquor ought to wash away the memories of that beastly bear gorging herself on bloody meat, I believe I should still have a few bottles of alcohol of suitable strength laying around my room

>I open the oaken door to my room and-

>There's someone in front of the fireplace, a crackling fire in front of her

>"Jacklyn, doing some last minute cleaning before I retire?"

>Her head turns to face me and lips curl into a smile

>She runs over to me and we embrace

>"You had been gone so long Arthur. I feared the worst." She whimpers into my shoulder

>"There was a riot going on in one of the cities we passed through. Something about taxes and alcohol." I respond with a laugh

>She backs away slightly and looks me in the eye

>"I'm glad you're back home."

>Her muzzle moves towards me and soft lips touch mine

>Her tongue snakes it's way into my mouth and…I return the affection with equal ferocity, grabbing her tufty cheeks with both hands

>Soft, satisfied moans fill the room as we share our affections

>I turn my head slightly to ensure I had closed the door behind me and yes, thankfully I did

>Against my better judgement Jacklyn and I have been having something of a forbidden love affair going on with one another for the past several years

>I dare not tell my parents of our love lest they retract my inheritance and disown me for falling for a mere maid, and Jacklyn dare not let anyone know should the fallout of our affair ruin her livelihood

>So we've been meeting in secret, under a staircase after dinner, in the middle of the night in the gymnasium, behind a row of bushes on the far side of the estate

>The game we play is dangerous but the thought of being without her breaks my heart into pieces

>Which is why it pains me so much to even think about how this thing is going to end

>Eventually, begrudgingly, I'll end up married to some high value yet ultimately hollow shell of a person and Jacklyn will have to cure her loneliness with some other man, there's no way we could keep up the act with one of us married

>I won't blame her for not wanting to be around after I get hitched, a few other households come to mind that she would be an excellent fit for

>I'll ensure she has a good life after we part, it's the least I can do for her

>Our faces drift away and I stare into Jacklyn's emerald eyes

>They still remind me of the day that I found her in that disgusting wooden crate, alone and mewling

>"Want a drink before bed? I think we should have some scotch laying around here somewhere." I offer with a shrug

>She shakes her head

>"No. I…I came here because I have something to show you."

>"Oh? And what's that?"

>The slender feline walks to the door to ensure it was closed and locked

>Satisfied with our privacy she walks to my bed and undoes her apron, laying it on my blanket

>She then unbuttons the front of her dress exposing her modest bust and belly to the air

>"Come closer." She says, beckoning me with a claw

>Confused, I comply at a slow pace, my mind running wild with possibilities both benign and terrifying

>I stand in front of her with a worried look

>"Give me your hand." She orders

>I give her my hand and she grabs me by the wrist, guiding it towards her belly

>Slowly my palm works it's way down her chest, past tufts of soft silvery fur, below her rib cage and onto her surprisingly muscled belly

>Until she guides me to where her belly button is

>I feel the depression of her belly button but something feels out of place

>I explore the area for a few moments before realizing what I'm feeling is a bump

>But not hard like a muscle

>It's softer, and right above her womb

>Shocked, I retract my hand from her belly and take a couple rapid steps back

>"Oh my god…you're-you're-you're-“

>"Pregnant. I think it happened just before you left to meet Lady Harper. When we laid in the orchard, do you remember?"

>"You said you weren't in heat!" I shout, my face contorted a harsh scowl. “We always planned our time together to ensure something like this wouldn't happen!"

>She stares into empty space and shakes her head

>"I-I don't know. It should have been a safe day but maybe we miscalculated. Or perhaps it was an act of god. Whatever the case I'm with child and you are their father."

>I rake a hand down my face and groan in horror

>"Jacklyn this isn't good. I'm not supposed to have a love child. You aren't supposed to be pregnant. Hiding our occasional outing from the world is one thing but we can't possibly obscure this from not only my parents but the world at large. If knowledge of my illegitimate child becomes public I'm fucked Jacklyn. Fucked! Ruined!"

>She backs away from me and begins buttoning her dress back up

>"We have options. I can say the child wasn't yours, that I fooled around with some tomcat and got unlucky."

>"And how will that explain that the child of one of my maids just so happens to have my eyes, and my hair, and smells just a bit like me? We humans can't pickup that sort of thing but I know how sensitive anthro noses can be. That isn't an option. But what if…what if we gave up the child to an orphanage before anyone had a chance to find out?"

>Jacklyn gasps

>"Absolutely not! I will not allow my kitten to become a parentless stray like I was. Still, one parent is better than none, I could run away. Give me enough money for a carriage ride to the other side of the country and you'll never hear from me again."

>"And then you'll do what? How exactly do you expect to pay for the upkeep of not only yourself but of the child too? Begging? Simple labor? Prostitution? You'll end up poor and destitute. Then you'll die like the rest of those poor bastards out there. I can't let you do that to yourself Jacklyn."

>"Then we'll run away together! To somewhere far away and where no one else knows us. You have the money and the means. We'll start a new life, a fresh start for us and the child."

>"And abandon my family? Jacklyn, I don't think I can do that. Me and my parents have had our agreements over the years but…fuck…I can't just up and leave them like that."

>She does the last button on her dress and crosses her arms

>"Then what do you suggest?"

>I walk towards the crackling fireplace and rest my tired head on the mantle

>There is one more option

>A bad one

>But an option

>"I know a doctor. He's…discrete. Professional. He can solve this problem before it starts. No questions asked."

>There are a few moments of silence before I hear a shocked cry behind me

>I turn to see Jacklyn holding a hand up to her mouth, emerald eyes moistened with tears as she sits on the edge of my bed

>"Y-you wouldn't. No. I refuse. Absolutely not. Not to my kitten." She says in between choking sobs

>My heart sinks at the sight of her, ears back and whiskers drooping, but it is the only option I can see

>"I'm sorry Jacklyn, but the time just isn't right for us to be together. This is the only viable option." I quietly walk to the bed and sit next to her, a hand cautiously placed on her shoulder as I try to find my words. “When…conditions improve…when we have things figured out better…we can try again."

>The only response she gives me are a few muffled sobs

>I slowly get off the bed and face her

>"I'll go make the arrangements. Stay here."

>I turn to leave but a paw on the shoulder stops me

>"You aren't leaving." She growls, voice low and serious

>"You want me to stay with you for a while? You won't have to wait long, he can be here in-" I stop as five sharp claws work their way out of her paw and onto my jacket, piercing the thin material and scraping my skin. I try to move away but it only makes the pain worse. “Gah! Jacklyn let me go. That hurts!"

>I turn to face her and she rises from the bed, paw still gripping my shoulder

>She comes to her full height and I'm suddenly made intensely aware of just how much taller she is than me

>Her paw falls from my shoulder and she leans in so close I can smell her breath

>"I'm keeping my kitten."

>"That isn't an option Jacklyn. It causes too many problems." I point at the bed and speak with an authoritative tone. “Now sit here and wait while I make arrangements. If you wish to leave the estate after this then so be it, but I cannot allow-“

>It happened in a flash

>A blur appeared in the corner of my vision and then I'm on the floor, head spinning and cheek flashing with pain

>I bring a hand to my cheek to find it warm and wet

>I bring my hand in front of me and…that's a lot of blood

>My vision locks onto Jacklyn as she stands tall in front of me, a paw with bloodied claws hanging by her side

>"You-you swiped me! With your claws out!"

>"I know what I did."

>"Fucking bitch!" I shout and shakily get to my feet, the pain coming from my torn cheek growing sharper as the shock wears off.

>"Arthur, I feared you might act like this. Give me the only option that I couldn't bear. Destroy our family before it even has a chance to start."

>"We aren't a family! You're just a maid and I'm just a friend!"

>"Last time I checked maids don't fuck their friends under the stairs on a regular basis, Arthur. We are something more than just friends even if you don't want to admit it."

>"This is crazy, you're crazy." I mutter and stomp towards the door

>She's just as quiet as she is fast, a paw grabs the collar of my jacket and tugs me backwards

>Jacklyn turns me around and grabs my shoulders

>"I'm crazy?! You're crazy! I can't believe that you so blindly follow the wishes of your parents, forever searching for whatever gold dipped harlot they would find acceptable. Do you have any idea how much I love you Arthur? Do you have any idea how much I fear smelling some other woman on you when you come back from those cross country trips? Just thinking about it has brought me to tears. Whoever you do find will never love you like I can Arthur, she'll never bear your child with as much grace as me, protect you like I can, love you as fully as I do. I know how fast you fall asleep when I purr in your ear after each night we spend together Arthur, I know you do love me." She says, voice cracking

>I try to back away but her grip on me grows tighter

>"Just…just get away from me Jacklyn."

>I grab her by the wrists but she throws me across the room with a strength I didn't know she had, must have been gained from all those secret trips to the gym

>I land hard next to a couple of padded leather chairs in front of the fireplace

>With the wind knocked out of me and a desperate defensive instinct taking over I lean up and look at the small table in between the two chairs to find a letter opener laying on it

>I grab it and hold it out defensively, desperately trying to crawl away from the feline walking towards me

>"When you found me in that alley you saved me from a lifetime of misery and suffering Arthur. You did what you thought was best. Now it's time for me to do the same to you."

>With a single leap she jumps on top of me, two strong arms pinning my shoulders to the ground

>Her eyes drift to the letter opener then up to me

>"You want to kill me? Fine then. Do it. Kill me and you sentence yourself to a lifetime of misery surrounded by people who don't love you and a wife who only cares for how much coin is left in your family's coffers." She leans in, eyes reflecting the orange fiery glow of the fireplace. “Or, run away with me Arthur. Where you, me, and our kitten can be safe. Where I can love you freely and we can raise our new family away from the expectations of your parents. I already have our bags packed and with your parents gone they won't know anything is amiss until they come back weeks from now. The housekeepers will keep our plan a secret, we can trust them."

>"Jacklyn…please…"

>She takes my shaking hand and moves the letter opener next to her throat

>"I'm keeping my kitten. I would rather die than live without them. So you have a choice now Arthur, me and the kitten, or spend the rest of your life with whatever gilded whore your parents want you to be with." She presses it tightly against her throat and releases her grip on my hand. “Time to choose."

>My hand shakes erratically as she waits for me to make the decision

>She's right

>As much as I've tried to suppress my feelings of fondness for Jacklyn I do love her

>But abandoning my parents to elope with her?

>And in the process forfeit my inheritance?

>I am their only child, without me they'll be furious

>But this whole thing is my fault

>Having a secret love affair with Jacklyn was hardly a wise decision

>Yet I do love her

>As these thoughts swirl around my head a single phrase my father said to me many years ago becomes clear

>Something he said just after I rescued Jacklyn

>Something about taking responsibility

>My grip on the letter opener grows weak and it falls to my chest, my head falling to the floor as I let out a stressed sigh

>The edges of Jacklyn's lips curl into a faint smile

>"Thank you. I knew you would make the right decision. Now let me take care of those scratches."

>She gently turns my head so I face the fire and leans down, softly licking my bloodied cheek

>Her rough feline tongue manages to be both soothing and discomforting at the same time, the physical contact pleasant but the rough barbs on her tongue making the pain worse

>I stare into the fire as she continues to gently lap at my face, a soft purring coming from her chest and the fire gently crackling

>The flames drift up from the burning wood and I find myself getting lost in the smoke and cinders, a single question on my mind

>What now?

****************************************************

>I remember the look on her mother's face as we left the estate

>It was a bittersweet kind of expression with her drooping whiskers and teary smile

>The orange tabby waved us goodbye as I whipped the horses into a gallop then me and Jacklyn were off into the mist

>We took with us the bare essentials that would be needed for travel and comfort once we arrived at our new home, wherever it may be

>Cases of clothing, a few treasured possessions, bedding and pillows so we could sleep in the carriage rather than stay at inns during the night

>I knew my parents would send a small army of private investigators across the country when they discovered me and Jacklyn had made off together so I found it wise to leave as few traces of our presence as possible

>If we were to be discovered I would be dragged back to the estate for an immediate arranged marriage with Jacklyn suffering a fate I don't dare think about

>The journey to our new home was long, and hard, but after weeks of travel and passage through multiple different countries we decided we had made it far enough to be safe from the clutches of my parents

>Using the funds we brought with us I purchased a small house in the outskirts of a city, far enough away to be out of the publics eye yet close enough to civilization that me and Jacklyn could still enjoy the benefits of civilization that we had grown accustomed to

>I took with us a sizable amount of money, enough for us to lay low while we waited for the news of our disappearance to die down

>Yet it wouldn't last forever, and with Jacklyn having given birth to our firstborn son some months ago we would have to find a source of income soon

>But we still have some time to enjoy our status as new parents before that

>Jacklyn, being her energetic self, insisted we go for family walks every few days

>Frankly I think she just hated being indoors all day

>I could hardly blame her, the house is hardly as opulent or roomy as the mansion was and even there she felt boxed in

>Yet we had to choose when to leave the house carefully should we pass by anyone who might recognize me or Jacklyn

>Thus, a late afternoon stroll through the cobblestone streets of the city became a weekly ritual

>We were on one such stroll now, the sun hidden behind plaster buildings and an inky darkness beginning to close in as sunlight faded away

>I walked beside Jacklyn and twirled a freshly grown and finely trimmed moustache

>She pushed a stroller holding our precious kitten in front of her, the proud mother dressed in a plain purple dress rather than the maid uniform I had grown so accustomed to seeing her in

>We walked the street in near total silence, nothing but muffled far off conversations, the occasional dog howl, and a happy tune hummed by Jacklyn gracing my ears as we walked the lonely city streets

>As we get closer to the edge of the city and the end of our walk a wispy fog fills the air and the streetlamps illuminate our path forward with a warm orange glow

>Suddenly Jacklyn stops the stroller and turns to me

>"Someone's approaching. I hear boots and…handcuffs." She whispers

>I put a hand up signaling her to wait and walk a few steps forward into the fog

>I see a figure appear out of the smoky miasma, their form indistinct yet they were clearly coming closer, heavy boots echoing against the stone

>With each heavy footstep the beating of my heart quickens and palms grow sweaty

>I make mental note of the snub nosed revolver I have hidden in an internal pocket in my coat, one of the items I saw fit to bring with me from the mansion given the perilous nature of our new existence

>As the figure draws closer I hear what Jacklyn mentioned earlier, the faint jingling of handcuffs

>My hand raises towards my revolver

>But then I finally make out the details of their appearance through the fog

>Rounded patrol cap with shiny silver emblem pressed into the front, long flowing waxed coat, wide leather belt dangling with handcuffs, keys, and a nightstick

>And based on the floppy ears and droopy face he must be a bloodhound

>A constable on an afternoon patrol

>My hand lowers and I quickly rejoin Jacklyn

>"Just a constable. Let's keep moving."

>She nods and we return to our casual pace down the street

>As we and the constable are about to pass each other our kitten apparently finds something about the constable amusing, letting out a sound halfway between a meow and a laugh

>The constable jumps slightly at the unexpected noise, then he turns his head down to the stroller

>"Oh, someone seems to be in a good mood today." His eyes drift up to me and Jacklyn. “And you all must be the proud parents of this little kitten?"

>"Yes, he's our firstborn." Responds Jacklyn with an air of pride. “His name is George."

>Internally I'm disappointed Jacklyn chose to disclose the real name of our son to the constable, not that I let it show on my face

>The bloodhound gazes down at the kitten once again

>"Easy to see where he gets his eyes from, and just as easy to see where he gets his coloration from too."

>Eyes from Jacklyn, hair coloration from me

>My facial hair just makes the resemblance all the more obvious, now that I think about it

>Maybe I should ditch the beard and moustache

>I hug Jacklyn tightly to my side

>"Thank you for the compliments officer but we really must be off now. We aim to make it home before the night grows any darker."

>"A good idea." He responds with a shake of the head. “The drunkards and malcontents do tend to begin roaming the streets around this time of day. I could give you an escort, if you wish."

>"That sounds lov-“ I cut Jacklyn off before she can finish

>"We don't mean to waste any more of your time officer. I believe we can make it home tonight without issue."

>"Very well. I wish you all a pleasant evening."

>He passes behind us and we continue our trek home

>"I don't believe there's as much need to be so secretive now, Arthur. This is our home and we should act like it, any goons your parents sent out have surely given up and turned tail by now."

>"Just trying to be cautious Jacklyn. My parents have resources beyond what you know and connections on every continent. I fear we may never be truly safe."

>She chuckles before responding

>"Arthur, my silly little Arthur, we were always meant to be together, you and I. Fate cares not for what your parents think of our union. Fate is what brought you to me when I was nothing more than an abandoned stray mewling in some alleyway, fate is what lead to the birth of our child even despite our best efforts to prevent it, and fate is what brought us to this new place to call a home. You tried to resist fate when you first learned I was pregnant and I had to claw you back to reality, prevent you from going astray. Make you understand that we were truly meant for one another. If your parents try to pry us apart again they won't be successful. You can't cheat fate."

>"And what makes you so sure?"

>"I heard about the circumstances of my adoption from my mother you know. How you and your parents first thought that I was a feral stray, how you first treated me as a pet until dear mother could convince them that I was more than that. About how distraught you were when I was taken away from your care. All because you wanted to keep me. Make me your own. And you did, giving me a place in not only your home but heart as well. Well Arthur, as the years went on I thought that if you could keep me then why can't I keep you in return? I would be yours and you would be mine, no matter how hard your parents tried to match you to someone else. I'll keep you because I can, because the only place you belong is with me. I know this in my heart, so I'll keep you." Her emerald eyes drift down to the stroller. “Both of you."