Pendant of Fortune (51 page)

“
I guess not. You, Tish, and Tika.” And Helfer, he started to say, then remembered the otter, and then thought that it was petty of him to hold that against his friend, so he said, “And Helfer,” anyway.

“
And Ilyana.”

“
She’s not at the palace,” Volle pointed out.

“
She’s a good wife. She has your welfare at heart.”

“
And her own, too.”

“
Yes, but she could’ve played this either way. She still gets another noble cub. She chose a more dangerous way to stay true to you.”

Volle nodded. “She’s a good vixen.”

They sat in silence while the buggy clattered up the slope of the mountain, leaving the town behind them. “So,” Streak said, “tomorrow after services you’re going back to do your husbandly duties?”

Volle saw a twinkle in the wolf’s eye, though he was keeping a smile from his muzzle. “I guess I will. I can’t get drunk this time, though.”

Streak laughed. “You’ll figure out something. I guess I’ll find some way to keep myself amused.”

A thought crept into Volle’s mind. He grinned at Streak. “What if I could figure out a way and keep you amused at the same time?”

The wolf looked shocked at first, his ears flicking back and then forward. “What do you mean? You want me…”

“
Well, you’d certainly inspire me.” Volle rubbed a paw across the wolf’s knee as his tail thumped the seat. “And I’ll have room for you.”

Streak looked at his tail, and the wolf’s blue eyes widened. “You’d want me to…while you’re doing it to her?”

“
Mmm. Maybe not all the way in—if I were tied to her and you to me, it could be uncomfortable. But otherwise…would you do that?”

“
I…” Streak thought about it for a moment.

“
It would be a big help.” Volle took the wolf’s paw. “And it would make you sort of another father to the cub. Not officially, but…”

Streak laughed. “It’s the only way I’m likely to father a cub.” He looked into Volle’s eyes and nodded. “All right. I’ll do it. It’ll be a story to tell the cubs when they’re older.”

Volle grinned, giving the wolf’s paw a kiss. “Much older. If ever. I don’t think I’d want to hear that about my parents.”

“
No, I don’t suppose I would either.”

The banquet hall at Helfer’s mansion had been garlanded with flowers and ribbons, and all the servants wore flowers in their fur or on their clothes. When Volle, Streak, and Forrin walked in, the room was bustling with activity such as Volle had rarely seen. Weasels and otters dashed here and there, scooting around the canids to bring decorations and food into and out of the long hall. Flower petals littered the floor, brushing their paws as they walked up to the head of the table.

Helfer waved them to a pair of seats across from himself and Laya, who was sitting next to him with their son in her arms. An otter couple was talking to Helfer and to the weasel on the other side of him from Laya, whom Volle assumed was his governer, Burren. The otters were smiling, the female especially, and they bowed several times to Helfer and scurried further down the table as Volle and his companions approached.

“
I didn’t know there would be three of you,” Helfer said. “Sorry.”

“
I told Forrin he could eat with us,” Volle said.

“
I can stand.”

“
Nonsense.” Helfer waved a paw and caught the attention of a servant. “Another chair?”

The servant nodded and scurried away. Helfer grinned. “There. We’ll just squeeze another place in. Nobody will care.”

“
Hef, what is all this?”

Helfer spread his paws. “It’s the annual festival of my visit. The servants and some of the people—as many as can fit—come and have dinner with me. They like to talk to me and it turns into a big party. I thought you’d like to be here too. Hello there.” He smiled as a pair of female weasels in formal gowns approached him, whiskers flicking shyly.

Though Forrin had his chair soon enough, they noticed that very few people actually stayed seated. They would sit, eat, and then get up and move around to talk to other people. The ‘servants’ Volle had seen carrying flowers and dishes were not simply servants; they were everyone. The table had been laid out more like a buffet than a dinner, they realized after a few minutes of waiting for someone to bring food. Forrin offered to get Volle’s dinner for him, but in the end all three of them got their own, moving through the crowded mix of smells and sounds and back to their original places with simple, but delicious, food.

Helfer asked them if there was anything else they needed, but he was constantly getting pulled aside by people who wanted to talk to him, or touch their muzzle to his paw, so they talked mostly with each other, and a little with some of the weasels around them. Everybody seemed happy, and the atmosphere got even livelier once the mead and wine was brought out—they were brought in big barrels from the storerooms by a few muscular otters and weasels, who lined up to be the first served after they plunked the barrels down.

About that time, a chorus of minks started singing some raucous songs. Volle didn’t know the tunes, but Helfer obviously did; he and everyone at the table joined in—except for Laya, who sat rocking her cub. Volle smiled at her, and she smiled back but didn’t talk. Two weasels started dancing, and more joined in, congregating in the open area of the room between the table and the doors. Volle watched them, his paw tapping the floor to the music.

Streak touched his shoulder, smiling. He was wagging his tail and swaying his shoulders to the song. “This is nice,” he said, gesturing around at the party. He’d brought two glasses of wine, and handed one to Volle.

It was nice wine, not the best, of course, but still good. Volle sipped it. “Thanks,” he said. “Want to dance?”

Streak grinned at him, taking a drink. “Do you?”

“
Not really.”

The wolf laughed. “Then why did you ask?”

“
I would, if you wanted to.”

Streak smiled and put a paw on his shoulder. “That’s sweet. Lucky for you, I don’t want to.”

“
I wouldn’t have minded.” The wine was making him tired, especially after the long relaxing day. He leaned against Streak and watched Helfer dance with one partner after another.

The weasel had barely had ten seconds to himself all night. Volle felt an odd twinge of envy—he was a Lord, too, and yet he’d never felt this kind of adoration from his people. On the few occasions when he’d visited, the people had been respectful and polite, but rarely effusive. Probably, he thought, it’s because they never got a chance to know me. They know Anton, the governor, and now they know Ilyana. And they’ll know Volyan, when he’s Lord. That thought comforted him.

“
Nice to be loved by your people,” he said, watching the dancers.

“
This climate is good for love.” Streak nuzzled Volle’s ears.

Volle grinned up at the wolf. “You want to get away?”

“
I am getting kind of tired,” Streak admitted, “but you have to be ready for your husbandly duty tomorrow. I’m not going to take the blame for your cub being weak and sickly.”

Volle laughed and nuzzled back. “All right, all right. How about we just curl up together and sleep?”

They said their goodnights and returned to the bedroom, the sounds of the party following them all the way back. It wasn’t until they’d closed the door to their suite that they could no longer hear it. Forrin checked their bedroom and bathroom again before settling himself down on the couch, leaving them alone in the bedroom.

And even though they went to bed naked, and there was a good deal of groping and giggling, Streak was true to his word, and they fell asleep hard and unreleased.

Chapter 12

Volle woke with his erection pressed into Streak’s rump. The wound on his tip didn’t hurt until he wriggled, and even then it was only a mild soreness. He inhaled the warm smell of the wolf, cracking one eye open to see the motes of dust drift through the sunbeam that crossed over his head. With a happy sigh, he closed his eyes again.

A few moments later, Streak stirred. He yawned, and Volle waited patiently while the wolf stretched and slowly became aware of the world around him. He felt the fluffy white tail wag slowly between them, and then Streak turned his muzzle and murmured sleepily, “You’re all ready for this afternoon.”

“
More than ready.” Volle nuzzled his shoulder.

“
Think you can make it through services?”

“
I’ll have to, won’t I?”

Streak rubbed gently back. “You sure will.”

Volle pressed forward and stroked a paw down his side, claws trailing through the fur. “Maybe a run with Helfer will help work off some of this energy.”

“
You’d better hope so, or else it’s going to be a very interesting service.”

“
The Cantor is cute. Wait ‘til you see him. He’s a fairly young fox.”

Streak rolled over and pinned him, grinning. “I have all the fox I need.”

They kissed and embraced, and then both their ears perked at a light tap on the door. “My Lord?” Forrin’s muffled voice came through from the parlor. “You’re awake?”

“
Yes,” Volle called.

“
My Lord, Lord Ikling said he would be leaving for his run in about ten minutes, and that if you were not ready, he would see you on the way to services. I chose not to wake you, but I heard your voices.”

“
Thank you, Forrin,” Volle called. “We’ll be out in a few minutes.”

Streak got off Volle and out of bed, and the fox followed him. Streak picked up the pants he’d worn last night and looked at Volle, who chuckled softly. “Forrin?” he called.

“
Yes, my Lord?”

“
Could you, er, find our running shorts and toss them into the bedroom?”

“
Yes, my Lord.” And a few minutes later, the bedroom door opened a crack and a bundle of cloth was tossed in.

They pulled on the shorts and met Helfer in the parlor. The weasel gave a huge yawn as he walked in. “Morning.”

“
Late party last night?” Volle grinned.

Helfer nodded. “It always is. But they like it, and I like it. Good enough reason to keep doing it. Come on,” he said, “or we’ll be late for services.”

They didn’t talk much on the quick run around the mansion. Helfer was too tired, and Volle and Streak kept their thoughts to themselves. Once, Streak did ask Helfer how many people he knew at the party, but Helfer’s answer was so clipped that he and Volle were both discouraged from asking anything further. The day was clear and hot, further encouraging them to conserve their breath, and by the end of the run, all three were panting heavily.

Volle and Streak wanted to take the time to brush each other’s fur after applying their vanilla powder, but Forrin interrupted their ablutions with a reminder that the buggies would be leaving for services imminently. “At least we smell decent,” Volle said as they pulled on the clothes they’d brought in from the parlor.

Streak gave Volle’s tail a few last brushes. “You always smell good,” he said, which got him a kiss as they walked into the parlor. Forrin had changed, too, into a slightly nicer vest.

“
I didn’t see you bring any clothes down,” Volle remarked as they walked out the guest door and around to the front.

“
I didn’t. Lord Ikling was kind enough to send to the castle for my effects.”

“
Very nice of him,” Volle said.

“
He is a gracious host,” Forrin agreed, in a tone that indicated he hadn’t expected such courtesy. “Lord Ikling,” he said, bowing as they reached the main gate and saw Helfer, “thank you for sending for my things.”

“
Well, I thought you might need them.” Helfer smiled, and indicated a waiting buggy. “Ready?”

Forrin rode in his usual place up front, and the other three climbed into the carriage. Once the door was closed, Helfer leaned forward. “Actually,” he said, “whoever let you in last night told Huster we have a new guest, and he arranged it all. But I don’t mind taking credit for it. I did hire Huster, after all.”

Volle smiled. “It comes out to the same thing in the end. Please thank Huster on our behalf.”

“
I will. So what do you have to do after services? Going back up to the castle? Your hearing is tomorrow, right?”