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"So what is our course of action then?" The King asked, staring at the seated council members. Some of them were dabbing at their eyes after Sir Wolfie had presented a sanitized version of what he had observed in the still sealed wagon in the yard.

"Are we sure that Princess Electra is responsible and not just one of the military? It has been known for Generals or even a baron to try and seize power by the back door when a throne is due to change hands." The council member that represented the standing guard asked.

Most peoples didn't realize that the Knights at arms were completely autonomous to the army and guard...able to act on their own or on the personal orders of the king without council knowledge.

"I would say from the very personal note that came with the Princess' "gift'' to us, there is no doubt. The letter is perfumed with sandalwood and myrrh, when you ignore the blood. I would say that only a Royal or a very rich merchant would have access to those fragrances. As for the contents of that letter, she made it quite clear that the maid which we used to test the Prince was a spy, and that upon leaning through gossip why she had been used in that way, she had drugged the weapons-master and absconded with him in the night to Pride City. Upon torturing him, the plan to still send the homosexual Prince to be her Mate was considered so abhorrent, she tore up the agreement made by our previous King. Upon advice from her council when Prince Arundel presented himself to inform them of our Prince's imminent arrival, he was seized, as was his family and delivered back to us in the way they were. The tigress maid was punished for giving herself over in such a demeaning way, despite the service she provided to her throne. The cloaked figures that delivered the 'gift' this morning were from the Royal elite bodyguard." Sir Wolfie said seriously.

"Can we hope to prevail in a fight?" One of the others asked.

"Frankly...no. If we armed every able bodied male and female in the kingdom and stood them in lines at the border, we would still be outnumbered by three to two by trained fighters. Unless my abductor decides to show himself and act as arbiter...I would advise meeting the forces unarmed and with a white flag. We may then stand a chance of saving the people we care for without further bloodshed. I would guess that Electra will eliminate the Royal line though, and the circle of Knights." Sir Wolfie advised.

The King glanced at Prince Lycanopous who was looking dreadful where he sat at his father's side. "If Lord Ruth does not show and judge favourably, I am willing to take my fate and it's only fair that the Prince that caused this, however inadvertently take his. I think we should try and smuggle my mate and Prince James out into Lutra where they will protect them as per our standing pact of protection. I will turn the Knights free to do as they wish as their lives are forfeit as Sir Wolfie suggests. Lyonesse has a special circle of Royal guards who would not allow the Knights to remain in existence. As for the rest of you...if you swear allegiance to the Lyonesse throne, you may be allowed to keep your lands, if not your positions."

The others nodded, "How long do you think we have Sir Wolfie?" The Guard Captain asked.

"Realistically...three days at the most before they reach our borders. Assuming they began to form up when they dispatched the cart. Maybe sooner if they marched at the same time," Wolfie answered with a frown.

"Then I will instruct Prince James and his mother to flee now. Sir Wolfie, take volunteers from your circle to escort them, at least six. Twenty of the guard cavalry will also go along. They may be asked to lay down their arms when they reach the otter folks city, but by then I will be dead along with my first Son and those knights that remain behind. Chancellor, open the treasury and send everything that will fit in two of the grain carts, there is no point in letting her have it. I want them out of here by noon. Should Lord Ruth appear and judge favourably, well we can always send for them. Wolfie, don't take no for an answer, if they protest, knock them out." The king commanded.

"Yes my liege," Sir Wolfie replied alongside the Chancellor.

The King turned to the rest of the council. "Stand all the guards down, tell them to retain uniforms, but to return all heavy weapons to the armoury, just keep the uniform swords on. Send the criers out and tell the populace to return to work and not to resist any of the Lyonesse soldiers that want to enter and search their properties. I will prepare myself with the Prince and join you Sir Wolfie and any other knights who wish to join us in preparation to march to the border. Light arms only. If Lord Ruth has not shown by last light, we leave at false dawn to await the Lyonesse at the border. I hope that they will grant us our deaths in the city square though, so the people know of our sacrifice. I assume that you will stand by us?" The King asked Sir Wolfie.

"Until my last breath is drawn, my liege," Wolfie replied. "I will discharge Russell and Everett and send them to ground until things settle."

"Good...Good idea. Instruct the other Knights to do the same with their squires. There is no point more youngsters dying for a lost cause," The King replied sighing, "Councilors it has been honour serving as your King, but I must now dismiss you for what is probably the last time. Return to your estates and disarm you people. I wish you the best of luck, and may whoever you hold true to go with you all." The King stood and turned, placing his hand on The Princes shoulder. "Come son; let us go to the chapel." They left the room and the councilors, the door swinging closed behind them quietly.

"Good luck Wolfie, you have served us well too." One of the country barons said, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Let us hope it is you that rides out to bring us all home eh?"

"Thank you...I just hope Ruth comes in time and agrees to help. He may just let it be."

"If he does, he is no keeper of the world's justice Wolfie. No-one can be allowed to do what has been done to those in that wagon."

"I know...See you soon eh?"

"In this world or the next." With that the councilor turned and left, taking the others with him as the Chancellor headed for the treasury.

Sir Wolfie stood and looked around the chambers, "Time to let the other Knights know and get my volunteers," he muttered to himself and headed towards the circle's meeting chamber where he knew the others would be awaiting him.

~~~~

Sir Wolfie watched from the back of Johnson as a tearful Prince James and his mother left the castle courtyard enclosed in the royal carriage, heading east towards Lutra on the trade road. Lyonesse was to the West, so it was unlikely that they would be cut off, but the escort that accompanied them on horseback, alongside a good three quarters of the treasury in the two other carts in the convoy should be able to fight off anything but a full battalion. Prince James wanted to ride along proudly with the Knights, but Wolfie had vetoed it, pointing out that a single archer or an assassin with a throwing knife could easily get through and not be noticed. It was more important that he had at least a single wall of planks between him and an unseen danger until they were well into Lutra itself. Preferably until they were at the gates of Holtsward city. It had taken Wolfie staring into the Prince's eyes and breaking his spirit until he bowed enough to agree to it, but he insisted on carrying arms so should they be ambushed he could leap out and fight alongside his protectors. Sir Wolfie hoped that the need would not be there, but allowed it so that they could be off. The longer they stayed, the more danger there was of an ambush.

"Leave the gates open lads," Wolfie called to the guards who were about to close them again. "We are offering no resistance. When your shift is over, go home to your families and wait, or find a good whore to forget yourselves for a while. We will call the reform note on the bugles if you are required again. The King and The Prince will be leaving with me and the remaining Knights for the border in the morning to try and stop any more bloodshed of innocents. In two days, you will have a new ruler and commandant, or a miracle will have occurred. Either way, thank you on behalf of myself and the King for your loyal services."

Wolfie saluted Johnson and turned to head for the stable block without awaiting an answer. Russell and Everett were waiting for him there with the rest of his armour which had been divested off Johnson when they arrived. "This is it lads...the end of the road maybe." Wolfie said as Russell offered him his hands so he could dismount easier. The stallion was a good seventeen hands at the shoulders, all lean ropes of sinewy muscle that bunched with every step under his silky white hair. He patted him on the withers and took the half apple from Everett to give the horse a treat. Wolfie knew from experience that his mount could canter for many hours without tiring, and was also deadly in a skirmish. Finer with his hooves than even the King's own. It was a running joke why Sir Wolfie had named him Johnson, but then the horse's other asset was also prominent, and one that had tempted Wolfie on more than a single lonely night out on a quest. He was a master of the mares though, and wouldn't accept more than a hand running down his eighteen inches when he was being cleaned.

"We will come with you Sir..." Russell started, tears in his eyes.

"No Russell...no you won't. I will free you with a letter of recommendation to your King, and suggest that you flee tonight before it is too late. You only need to complete a solo quest and you are fit to be sworn a Knight. As you are the only Dingo in the city, and I am too prominent for your presence in my household not to be known to the Lyonesse. Your life is forfeit if you stay," Wolfie said, his heart heavy. "As for you young Everett...I am sorry that I am unable to complete your training. Maybe when things settle you can seek a position under another Master. I will grant you the same letter of praise, but you should be able to blend in with the rest of the young guardsmen and remain here safely."

Everett was tearing up, "At least let us saddle Johnson for you in the morning Sir...It would be the least we could do for you," the young wolf begged.

Wolfie shook his head, "I suppose you may, but Russell must leave now." He turned to the Dingo who hadn't let Johnson's reins drop yet. "Go back to the house with all my heavy gear and weapons. Take my second best sword and plate from the racks and saddle up Chloe. She's in foal with Johnson's offspring, but not far enough along for her to be inhibited as long as you take it easy. Head for Lutra first, away from the Lyonesse border, and then turn south for your own people. She and her foal is my gift to you, and should you not be able to find a position to complete your training, they must be worth a few thousand credits at least. Now go. I will draft the letter and leave it at the guard tower for you to collect. I will stay with the King and my other Knight's until we depart. I want you gone in two candlemarks." He patted Russell on the shoulder and kissed him briefly, before gathering Johnson's reins and leading him into the stable.

"Will you do as he says?" Everett asked, watching as Wolfie disappeared into the shadows.

"I have no choice if I want to live...I love him though, but we both know that when we ourselves take the vow, everything must come before our own pleasures." Russell answered as he started to pick up the unwanted gear.

"I wanted him to be my first..." Everett said, bending and collecting the plate armour.

"You are that sure of your sexuality? Look at the trouble it has led to for the kingdom."

"I...I am not sure Russell...but I listen at the street window sometimes to the two of you...I even manage to shadow Sir Wolfie when he takes a casual partner somewhere in the open. It excites me...but then so does sneaking up on the older guards when they tup the castle maids. I have carved an old table leg and steal butter occasionally, so I know what it may feel like...I want to know for sure before I die..." Everett answered as Russell shouldered the Lance and headed for the gates.

"You will not die Everett. Just do as Sir Wolfie says and blend in with the others."

"But what if...what if they kill all of us. All the guards? The rumour is already spreading that the young Princes are in that covered wagon. If they will kill five year olds, the Lions won't hesitate to kill me and the other recruits. I want to know...but I want it to be with someone I trust."

Russell looked around uncomfortably, glancing to see if they could be overheard but the place was deserted, "What of me?" he asked eventually. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you...but..."

"I am only four years your senior, and it would be wrong as I am adult by law and could mean my life if it is found out...but do you truly want to try. I will be gone in a couple of marks as instructed, and you would be left alone again." Russell offered.

"I...I...Yes!" Everett said after a couple of stutters.

"Then help me pack, and we can play for a half mark or so. I will take your virginity if that is what you wish, though we will not have time to tie."

"T...Thank you...I will not forget this," the young wolf said, a smile creeping through his grief.

"It would be best if you did. If Sir Wolfie does manage to save the situation we are all in...We could not tell anyone, even him." Russell replied seriously. "Now come...the sun is descending, and I will not let pleasure stay me from my master's final orders."

~~~~

Much further East Ruth stretched on his bed of gold and jewels, scratching at his belly where the previous night's play with one his agreeable ursine partners had left him crusted with cum and other less palatable juices. One of his magic watchers had gone off; just the preliminary ghost spell that told him his name had been mentioned again in public. He sighed, and cast the identifier spell to trace it back to its origin...Lupinia. "Oh for fucks sake...not another one," he muttered grumpily. "How many more people will I have to carry off in the night until the rest of them learn to keep their gobs shut!" He rolled onto his belly and stood, unfurling his wings in the cave, cracking the scum from their membranes. "Bath time and then breakfast, I will deal with it then," he said to himself and headed out into the caldera, launching airborne and gliding down to the lake.

He landed with a splash in the middle, ducking himself thoroughly and then drifted to the shore where fifteen of his realms occupants had gathered with stiff brushes. Several of them were youngsters, and all were eager to ensure that he was scrubbed of every last bit of residue in every place. He rolled onto his back and a couple of the more agile otter teens scrambled onto his belly and prized his cavity lips apart, pulling his member free and began massaging the more sensitive scales with their hands to clean them. One dived in deeper to get to the underside of his shaft and balls as he was not in the mood to invert. Bath time was fun, but he didn't want kill the fish in the lake with sex play, so he kept firm control over himself, only allowing a partial erection to form. As he was relaxing in the water he watched as one of his older captives approached slowly from the housing caves in the cliffs, leaning on a bone crutch that Ruth had fashioned for him. Adam had been the chief jailer and executioner in one of the seaside cities on the East coast of the area he oversaw. The Kingdom/Realm in question was a democracy... something new that was trying to survive surrounded by overzealous warlords. All species were welcome, and the government consisted of twelve elected representatives of different species. It tended to create more trouble for Ruth than the rest of his patch put together.

Adam was found guilty of sexually abusing and torturing his female prisoners in the worst possible fashions. He would have found himself on his own chopping block, but for the fact Ruth had been around sorting out a squabble with a particularly nasty band of pirates that were preying on just about every ship that was leaving port. He was given the option, and had chosen thirty years ago to come back to the obsidian mountain with Ruth. As it was, he was educated and had a good grasp of people, despite his unpleasant fetishes. He ended up cataloguing and acclimatizing the new arrivals and monitored the caldera for any signs of crime for Ruth...In reward, he was allowed to keep the obstinate ones for himself. Most would prefer to be eaten by Ruth than handed to him, and therefore he was one of the best deterrents against further offending Ruth had.

"Morning Adam, something giving you trouble?" Ruth asked.

"One of the new ones Sir. That last old fart you brought in from Lupinia. His two colleagues that came in before them and the staff they told have accepted their lots, but he is being stubborn. I have tried being reasonable, tried explaining his choices and he is refusing to listen. What is your wish Sir?" Adam asked.

"You want him?" Ruth asked.

"No...No Sir. I am getting old and my tastes have never really been for old flesh as you well know. I could dispatch him for you if you wish," Adam answered.

"No, not yet. Bring him to my cave, I will invite him for breakfast before I have to trance and discover exactly who else is going to be joining us tonight from Lupinia. Another alarm had gone off. He will either leave my cave, or well...you know." Ruth said as a few of his helpers cringed at the thought. Ruth laid his head on the grassy bank and opened his mouth so his teeth could be cleaned and his tongue scrubbed. A few wisps of the oxen's hair he had dined on the night before were stuck between the ivory daggers. He did not particularly want to add old wolf hair to them.

"Very well Sir. He will await your audience in the main cavern." Adam bowed and started the long journey back up to the caves, leaning heavily on his crutch.

The white dragon let his toilette be completed and then walked out of the lake and shook heavily, water shedding from him in a fountain of droplets that caught the summers sun that was bouncing down into the bowl via the mica panels on the wall. The younger of his helpers laughed as they were soaked through and Ruth playfully ducked a few of them. Sometimes he wished he had the option to let the offspring of the criminals go when they reached maturity, but long before he was a thought in his ancestor's loins, the True Dragon council had decreed that life meant life, and included the lives of those born in captivity. Suicide was always an option, they only need ask him and he would fulfill their last wish in a clean and painless fashion. The places that the True Dragon's resided in and kept their prisoners always needed fresh hands, and no innocent would ever be brought in. Things were settling outside slowly, so quite often the evil bastards were dealt with and justice served without the need for intercession. New prisoners were only added around one every two months now, as opposed to every day in the past. The exception being when a new Kingdom was added to their awareness...like Lupinia.

Ruth sighed, and walked up to his home cave again. An old wolf in a set of torn bed robes sat, chained to one of the audience benches, "You know why you are here...this is your last chance to abide by the rules of this place. You were all given the laws that governed the knowledge of my existence when I returned Sir Wolfie to your seat of government. You and your two colleagues disobeyed, breaking them and in doing so condemned yourself and those you told to live your lives here if you choose. You have five minutes to decide, and I will free you to walk out of that archway if you wish to live. I will grant you a painless death if you still say no."

"I still want to know what gives you the right to control our destinies?"

"It was explained to you in full at the time. We stop the wars that would lead to species annihilation. We stop the child abusers. We stop the destruction of the land. It has been so for all history, and will remain do as long as the people still harbour evil in their souls...You have three minutes left."

Ruth walked over to a hatch in the cave wall near the kitchen and pulled a struggling pig out. Using a pair of talons he pinched tightly, spearing through the porcine's brain cleanly, killing it instantly. "Two minutes," Ruth said. Waiting for the corpse to finish twitching before he placed it in his mouth and swallowed it whole. The horrified wolf watched it slide down his throat.

"You will not bring my mate to live her days out with me?" The wolf asked in a last ditch attempt at a concession.

"She has committed no crime, and therefore doesn't deserve punishment. You are assumed dead in Lupinia so she is probably spending your fortune as we speak. She may even take a younger model to her bed. One minute." Ruth walked over to the obstinate wolf and knelt next to him. "I Tire of this, choose. I have work to do. I take no pleasure in this as you are not guilty of anything other than being a pompous idiot that can't keep his mouth shut. However if I were to ignore the law, I would be no better than those in my care. Live or Die...you have thirty seconds."

"I have nothing to live for then...do with me what you wish. Let me die in the sunlight though please."

"If wishes were fishes, the world would never go hungry. I am sorry you chose this way." Ruth snipped the iron manacles free with his talons and gently picked the old wolf up and carried him back out into the dawn.

He jetted a long tongue of flame into the air and slapped his tail down hard on the rock, the echo shattering the morning and making everyone turn to face him. "Let it be known that Councilor Frederick of Lupinia has been judged to be of sane and firm mind, and he has chosen that rather than live here he would prefer to join the Gods of his chosen belief earlier rather than later. Do you have any last words Councilor?"

"No...I make this choice rather than die without my mate at my side."

"So be it," Ruth said. In a single swift movement he reached down and severed Frederick's spine with a single talon just below the skull. Frederick's eyes rolled as his legs collapsed from under him, glazing over with the white mist of death. Not a sound slipped from his lips as he was brought to peace and his muscles twitched in their final spasms. "Someone, please bury him in the plot and mark his place, he chose the honourable way to go," Ruth said with a heavy heart and turned back to his cave. One of the other councilors from Lupinia walked up along with the manservant Frederick had told of Ruth's existence and picked his limp corpse up. A feline cross with a stained white collar around his neck pointed at a sheltered area near the north cliff and they walked solemnly towards it as the rest of the caldera resumed their work.

Entering his bed chamber he whispered the unheard words and an illusion covered archway appeared in the far wall. That was his work room, somewhere that no-one other than him and other True Dragons were ever allowed. A single huge flawless diamond, at least six feet across that had been magically warped from a coal seam was set into the wall at Ruth's head height. Another whispered word, and the illusion closed behind him, sealing him the bare rock tomb in utter darkness. He settled into a squat and closed his eyes, reciting the mantra he had been taught the day he was granted the wisdom of adulthood. The diamond began to glow from within until a pool of liquid iridescence flared and became a mirror into the third dimension. Had Ruth wanted to, he could have cast a living beast into that pool and they would have floated, trapped between the plains for all eternity, never dying, but always being struck by the sparks of purple lightening that flashed between them as lives were extinguished in the mortal worlds...and the pleasures of the demons that called it their home. He was not there for that though...he needed to see into the mind of someone at the very edge of his territory.

His eyes opened, and he breathed his life's breath into the plain as a gift, whispering his name so that the currents of energy could trace it to one who granted its last utterance. There was a swirl in the pool; a face appeared briefly, all snaggle teeth and horns. It nodded once and drew Ruth's questing thought tendril within to trace the ghost that had set his mental alarm off that morning. He swept through the plains until he was drawn by the demon to a strong white thread of a soul still living. The demon nodded once, and left him there.

Another word whispered, and he dove into that thread, finding himself resting in the back of a mind overcome with grief and uncertainty. The one he was being hosted by was staring at an altar, prayers flickering through his head as he prepared himself for his final ordeal. Another voice, one he recognized as the elder Prince of Lupinia was asking for forgiveness somewhere in close proximity, and he realized he was being hosted by the King himself. 'Shit!' Ruth thought. 'Something is seriously wrong here...'

Withdrawing gently he swam back down his own life thread and re-entered his crouching body through the mind portals of his eyes. Blinking a few times he waved a paw over the diamond and dismissed the portal with another whispered word. A distant flapping penetrated his hearing and he opened the arch to his workroom and emerged quickly into the light as the small be-spelled carving from the throne room in Lupinia came winging into him and landed on a talon he held up for it. "War Master. Evil. Cubs Killed. Lyonesse. Torture. Annihilation. Cleansing. Destruction. End." The carving spoke, and then its magic spent and its purpose served, it folded its wings and returned to the oak where it had come from, falling and shattering on the rock floor.

"Oh Fuck...What on earth have those bloody wolves got themselves into an argument with the Lyonesse for? I can't even intervene directly as the felines are not under my care, they are Arianna's wards," Ruth muttered. "It is time to pay another visit before it is too late. The portal was not busy with new arrivals, so they cannot have struck just yet."

Lumbering out to into the entrance cave he grabbed Johns as he was clearing up the spots of blood from the pig Ruth had dined upon. "Johns, I have trouble on the outside. I may be gone for a few days. Alert Adam for me and tell him to brief any new arrivals as I may be forced to send them via magic. Another war is about to break out and one side has a penchant for killing cubs."

Without waiting for an answer, Ruth darted out the door and with a couple of huge down strokes of his wings soared up into the early afternoon's air. Sweeping towards the west wall at a height of seven thousand feet he whispered the words and vanished into the tunnel which opened before him and then ascended above cloud height as it closed, snapping at his tail.

~~~~