“But why though?” Janear jabbed a finger at Aodh. “Why don’t you want to work with anyone else? You know you will eventually. You can hardly go world…” Janear waved a hand about, “world exploring or whatever forever. You're a Foxling behind it all.”
Aodh rolled his eyes at his brother’s queries, shaking his head he jabbed a finger back at Janear.
“And when did I say I was going world exploring forever. I never said forever.”
Aodh kept his eyes on his brother as he reached for his cup, frustratingly he could not feel it so he had to turn away for a moment to locate it. What was I saying again?
“Ah yes. I never did say I was going to go about forever. I just….I just want to do something different. There’s already a path decided for us. I know it’s there, and I’ll get back on it soon enough, believe me.”
Pandred patted his arm, “Then what are you doing in the Outer Lands? You could have been placed anywhere, instead you asked ... .you actually asked to be put there.”
“There are contracts in the Outer Lands too.” Aodh replied a little sharper than he’d intended, he had already drank too much for such deep questioning.
“Yea sure there’s killing the odd beastling. But what do you do in the meantime? Were you really just wandering about the place?”
“And what if I was? I don’t have to do exactly what every single one of us does. I can make some decisions of my own.”
Pandred shook his head and sighed, “But why? What’s the point of it all Aodh. You are a Foxling. Why are you trying to run away from that? Is it because of what happened with Fa-”
“It has nothing to do with that. You claim I am running? Running from what? I am here. How can I be running away from that which I have willingly returned to? Why are you trying to run away from that? Shut up Pandred.”
Pandred stared at Aodh wide eyed and open mouthed.
“I… am merely asking a question.” Pandred seemed to be in complete disbelief.
“You need to relax, Aodh.” Janear puffed out his cheeks, “Something has you very stressed. “Might need something stronger for him Pandred.”
“I reckon you are right Brother.”
Aodh put his head in his hands, “Something does not have me stressed. You do. Both of you.”
“Us? We are trying to help you Aodh.” Janear looked at Pandred and then back to Aodh. “Sometimes I don’t get you Aodh.”
Aodh gripped his cup and took a deep breath.
“How long have you been back in the manor?” He was eager to change topics.
“Me?” Pandred scratched his nose, “Bout two weeks and I’m here for another few. The usual. Unlike you I follow the schedule. Perhaps that's why you are so stressed, being out in the wilds for so long without a break. You need to be in the comfort of your own home once in a while Brother.”
Aodh closed his eyes and leaned back. “Are we going to discuss something other than what I should or should not do tonight? I have a mind to take this bottle and head up to bed as it is.”
Janear placed a hand on his shoulder, “No, no. We have lots to talk about. Things more important than all that.”
He looked at both with raised brows but said nothing further.
“Well?” Pandred asked, “What things?”
Janear leaned in further, “Girls.”
“Ahhha yes.” Pandred slammed his cup down, “Now that is important.”
Aodh shrugged, “Can be.”
“Can be. Don’t play nonchalant Aodh. Here, you go first Pandred. What was it you said about the elvish women?”
“Brothers, I am telling you, they are more elegant and divine then you know. Bodies, lips, faces, all of it. And incredible bums.” He bobbed his head from side to side, “Incredible. I was seeing one for a while you know. Until she found out I was a beastling. Apparently it was okay to have a human paramour. But a Beastling? Ohhhh no. Explain that one to me if you could? Ahhh I hated her in the end. Hate her now. She is bloody lovely though, bloody lovely.”
“She is lovely or you hate her, which is it?” Janear asked.
“Can’t it be both.” Pandred looked up to the roof, “Love is a strange thing.”
“You loved her?” Janear was frowning at Pandred.
“Well I mean….I loved parts of her. But that’s all done with now. I think.” Pandred squinted, looking thoughtful. “Well go on then, that’s my sole conquest. I was rather preoccupied with my elf. You two? I need cheering up.”
Janear looked at Aodh but seeing no sign he was about to speak Janear cleared his throat.
“I think I have my mate.”
Both Aodh and Pandred looked at Janear in surprise.
“What already?” Pandred asked, “Bit soon isn’t it? You don’t have to breed for another ten years for Gods sake?”
“Well there’s more to it than breeding. I like her.”
“What’s that got to do with anything?” Pandred looked confused.
“Who?” Aodh asked.
“Tera.”
“Tera?”
“Yes, she’s also in the Elects, for the vixens.”
“Well be careful,” Aodh took a long drink, “You know how Desra feels. Watch how you act around her.”
“Well of course I know that. And I am careful, we are careful. About everything we do.”
Aodh shook his head, “It’s dangerous Janear. I suppose you’d like her to be the one you have your cubs with, yes?”
“Yes I would, and?”
“And you think you can hide your relationship, or whatever it is for 10 years? If Desra finds out he’ll force you to take another. We do not do love Brother. Remember that.”
“Yes, I do remember Brother. Which is why I’m being careful. I know we are more watched than most, I haven’t made Elects for nothing.”
Aodh glanced at Pandred, he rolled his eyes. Aodh agreed with his sentiment. There was no room for romance in the Dynasty. Desra was quite adamant on that, mating taken more as a science than something to build a life on. It was why parents were never revealed to their children, or they them. Or at least that was how it was meant to be. Their Father had had his own interpretations of such rules.
“You could be supportive, there are others that have done the same.”
“Ahhh but what kind of life is it?” Pandred sighed, “Hiding around looking for a moment here, a moment there. Too much pressure I say. One of those eager to please Desra is bound to catch you at some point. There’s too many like that Janear.”
“So it would be better to resign myself to a life alone then?”
“Yes,” Aodh and Pandred answered together.
“Balls to that.”
Janear snatched the beaker and poured himself a drink. He clearly had expected a different kind of response.
“Alright then, come on Aodh. You’ve heard us two. Let us hear how the lady killer has fared this past year.”
“Lady Killer?” Aodh snorted, “You think so much of me?”
Janear shoved Aodh playfully, “Oh come on. You know the girls always like you best. They fell for that brooding dark vibe you had going on…” he grinned, “you know the hermit kinda one.”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“I am not a hermit.” Aodh slapped his Brother’s hand away, a little too hard causing him to almost fall from his chair. Straightening himself back up he fixed his collar.
“I merely value my alone time. And they never liked me best.”
“Fine, fine, as you say. But quit stalling, go on I’m sure you had many adventures out in those wild lands.”
Aodh shrugged, “It is certainly possible.”
Pandred snatched Aodh’s cup away. “You better stop with all that coy shit. What did you get up to eh?”
“Give it Pandred.”
“What did you get up to?” Pandred asked again.
Aodh sighed, “Nothing crazy. I met one or two human ladies. Nice ones. I spent some days with them. Enjoyable, if short.”
“Sounds like me with the elf after a night spent drinking.” Pandred laughed loudly, mostly to himself.
“And there was a satyr.”
Pandred stopped laughing. Janear put down his cup.
“A satyr?” Pandred asked. He leaned in, “You were with one of them?”
“I was. I met her and a band of her kind while on the outer highways. They are a good people, they allowed me stay with them, drink and eat with them.”
“And in return you stole away one of their girls?” Pandred tutted.
“I did not steal anything. On my last night with them we had a few drinks, a dance. It was a natural conclusion. We had a… a bond her and I.”
“Natural?” Janear frowned, smiling, “don’t they have the lower half of a goat?”
“No, and you know they don’t.” Aodh replied, “they have hooves yes, and maybe are slightly hairier around ... .look that does not matter. She was rather lovely in fact.”
“What did you do with the tail?” Pandred did not smile as he asked the question, though Janear began laughing all the same.
Aodh stared hard at Pandred, but seeing only sincerity in his expression he decided to answer.
“Well I don’t know really, wasn’t an issue at the time.”
“By Gods,” Pandred shook his head, “A satyr eh? I suppose there would have to be pretty ones of them too.” He folded his arms, “I can imagine it alright.”
A silence fell over them, broken only by the sound of cups and the bottle being poured out.
“Speaking of girls, I believe Tera and a few of her friends are upstairs. We could invite them down. Now that we’ve talked about them we might as well talk to some actual girls.”
“A solid plan. A very solid plan.” Pandred waved his cup in Janear’s direction for emphasis. “You go on up and get them and me and Aodh will finish off this.”
“I like that one.” Aodh agreed.
“Well, I mean maybe one of you should go, you are older.”
“What?” Aodh turned to look at him, “You just said Tera is to be your mate and now you're scared to go up and see her?”
“I’m not scared. I just you know…it’s not just her up there, there’ll probably be four or five of them.”
“Gods you are scared.” Pandred shook his head, “You are an elect and you're scared to go up and talk to your own Kind.”
“Alright then,” Janear pointed towards the door, “You go up and get them so if you're so great.”
“Maybe I will.” Pandred didn’t move.
“Although, Aodh, it is you the girls like. Be best I think if you went up.”
“Me?” Aodh looked at his two brothers with disgust, “Both of you frightened by a couple of girls.”
“You’ll go up then?” Janear asked.
“No. I do not see why I should.”
“Well then you are scared too.”
“I’m not scared, I just don’t have a care if they come or not.”
Aodh raised a hand before either of the two could respond.
“Look, let’s finish off these bottles together, after if….if we still want to we can all go up.”
“Great call,” Pandred nodded vigorously.
“Nice,” Janear agreed.
There were still two bottles remaining to them. By the time both were empty Aodh was feeling quite relaxed. Nothing seemed beyond him anymore.
“Right then. We do this then we need to do it properly.”
“Like a contract.” Pandred spoke, though his eyes stayed closed.
“Exactly. Exactly like a contract.” Aodh grabbed Pandred by the shoulder and urged him awake. “Exactly like that Brother.”
Janear got to his feet, a little shakily he had to lean heavily on Aodh to stay upright. The movement causing Aodh to lurch over heavily in his own seat, only barely managing to catch himself as he was sent sliding down.
“We need to be cool about this right. Aodh, what should we say.”
Aodh placed a hand under his chin, “Something mysterious maybe...”
“We could talk about Satyrs,” Pandred blurted out.
“No,” Aodh and Janear said as one.
“No, best not mention that.” Aodh added.
“Could talk about our old days? Training?” Janear suggested.
“Nah, too many bad memories.” Pandred sniffed.
“Yeah, good point. Ahhh wait. I have it.” Janear declared.
“Yes?” Aodh asked.
“Past contracts. All Foxlings like talking about that. Especially young ones like them. We just ask 'em all about what they’ve done. One by one.”
Aodh and Pandred turned to look at each other slowly.
“I like it.” Pandred nodded his head slowly.
“So do I. Contracts. That’s how we’ll get them. But…we are a little drunk, so….” Aodh took a deep breath, “We have to make sure and hide that ok. Ready yourselves.”
Following his lead both Pandred and Janear began to breathe in likewise.
“Right. Let’s go.”
Aodh felt a sudden urge of adrenaline flowing through him, he did want to speak with the girls, whatever Desra enforced didn’t matter. There was no harm in conversation. He led the way, followed close behind by Janear, and finally Pandred who had found a bottle to take up with him.
Aodh moved forcefully, making his way upstairs to the residence halls, the huge common areas for all Foxlings he did not stop at the door but strode straight in.
There were five of them. Aodh knew all five by name but had only ever spoken with two of them, Alicia and Freda. Freda, in fact he had once been close with. She looked pretty spectacular in a snow white dress, one which wrapped nicely around her body.
The sight of them caused a sudden dampening of his adrenaline however. They too had a bottle of wine in front of their table, but none of them looked half asleep, nor slouched haphazardly across their chairs. They looked attentive in fact, and stared at him as he stood there awkwardly.
Aodh swallowed deeply, I am very drunk. The realisation hit him quite clearly. But with the girls looking up expectantly he had to do something. I should have paused outside the door, he suddenly realised. He felt rather than saw Janear behind and Pandred behind him. They had to do something.
Thankfully Pandred came to the rescue. He pushed himself forward.
“Ladies, good evening and good night. We were having a drink or two ourselves down stairs when the thought hit us, why don’t we engage the fairest Foxling ladies in conversation. For it is you that we wi-”
Pandred was doing well, the girls were starting to smile at his rather dramatic entrance but his work was undone by a step. Just a single step.
Pandred fell and fell hard, landing on his face. Aodh and Janear rushed to his side and tried to pick him back up but unsteady themselves the considerable weight of Pandred clutching onto them sent them slipping to the floor along with him. A bundle of three Aodh was pushed down by Pandred as he tried to hoist himself up, Aodh in turn gripped onto Janear who was forced down by the bulk of both of them. They all three fell slowly, one crossing across the other.
Half up half down all three were forced to seek out the arms and legs of tables and chairs to right themselves. Aodh tried to do so without aid but found the room spun a little too much for his liking and he was forced to concede defeat.
Once all three were back on their feets they looked once more to the girls. Though they looked on as if concerned, they were quite clearly stifling laughter. Aodh would have rather they just let it out. The fact that they were trying to be polite on their behalf made it even worse.
“Ah yes. We…” Aodh sighed and looked from one Brother to the other. They stared back at him with the same sheepish look he imagined he had on his own face.
He sighed, “Good night ladies.”
“Good night ladies,” Pandred and Janear echoed, quickly following Aodh as he made his exit.
Likely the girls would have let them stay, but after such an unceremonious entrance the embarrassment was too much.
Retreating they headed back to the safety of the male Halls.
Pandred sat down on the bench and placed his head in his hands.
“I ruined it. I apologise boys. I thought I could get them.”
Aodh placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, “You almost did Brother. You almost did.”
“Next time. Next time we will do it right,” Janear added.
Pandred nodded firmly at the words of encouragement, “Next time.” He pulled out the bottle and placed it in front of him. “Last one. Might as well get it finished now we’re here. Alone.”
“It would be wrong not to,” Janear agreed.
“It would,” Aodh added.
Gathering up their three cups Pandred filled each one to the brim.
“To next time.” Aodh raised his cup.
“To next time,” both of his Brothers repeated.