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Chapter 3

Techi and I were both lost in our own thoughts on the way to my room. I could hear voices mumbling things to him and him giving short replies, but I was unable to make out what they were saying. We were going to get caught, I know it! No incest couples were able to keep things like that hidden for very long. They would give signs towards their loved one and they were quickly recognized by the guards or the healers when the cubs were born of these courtships.

Next thing I know, I was sat upon my bed. I looked from Techi's chest around the room, blinking at the bright light seeping through my window. I felt Techi sit on the bed next to me, his weight making me lean towards him.

"'Mani, we need to find a way to get out of here," he stated softly. I could hear a soft urgency to his voice. "Someone knows what we've done and they are going to tell the Diplomats tonight," I looked up at him in shock. It hadn't even been 24 hours and our meeting had been found out! I jolt up from my position.

"What are we going to do Techi? We have nowhere we can run," I would start pacing. Techinasa let his head hang as his shoulders slumped. I didn't even have to hear him vocalizes it to realize that he had no answers to any of my questions, spoken or not. I sank to my knees with a soft sigh.

"W-we have to find a way to get out of here, " I stammered, looking towards my closet. "We can find a winter caravan to another town, we can get away from here."

"No we can't ''Mani" His words were a defining. "We've been found out, and it's just a matter of time before they go to our parents" I looked up towards him with tears forming in my eyes. I haven't ever seen him lose hope like this before, but the shine was gone from his pelt, his eyes were glazing over.

"T-techi your scaring me" I said softly. He looked over to me in shock. He rushed down to my position and hugged me close. I curled against him just wanting to get lost in the warmth of his embrace. "We will find a way Samani,"He said finally, " we will find a way"

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Four days have gone by since the fear set in. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't hardly eat, and I absolutely could not get the thoughts of being caught out of my mind. I claimed it was merely a sickness that was keeping from being myself. I would only eat when Techinasa brought me food, scared of what would be in anything else.

I heard a knock at the door and sat up in my bed, letting the blankets slip down around my legs as I looked towards the wooden barrier. "Come in," I answered, unsure of who would visit at this time of night. Father had come to see me. My eyes widened as I saw the border collie muzzle smile at me. I started to shiver in fear, had he come to tell me I was going to the dungeon? Was I going to be the Jailers new torture toy?

"I just came to see how my beautiful girl was doing," he said softly. "It looks like I came in at a bad time. Should I let you rest some more?" He asked me. I could hear genuine concern in his voice as he spoke. He would come into the room further, leaving the door open with Techi behind him. Techi looked tense as I felt about father being here. Father sat on my bed, placing a paw to my forehead.

"Well it seems like your fever is starting to break at least. You are such a lucky girl to have Techinasa as an older brother. Such a strong and tender man!" I jumped as he burst out laughing. "Why, if he wasn't your own brother I would set you two up for marriage!"

I my stomach started to feel uneasy at the though of father wedding us. "F-father, please don't even tease like that, it's disgusting to think of my own brother in such a way!" I blurted out, only half realizing what I was saying in the heat of the moment. I could see Techi's tail droop. Fathers ears laid flat against his head as he jerked back. "I-I was just joking snowflake, everything is alright, I wouldn't ever do that to you," he reassured me softly before standing up.

"Your mother and I will be in the Diplomat's hall again tonight, there has been word of a couple trying to hide blood relations in attempts to have a family." My stomach dropped. So we had been found out, just no names were spoken.

"Keep an eye on her Techinasa, make sure my special snowflake is in perfect condition for her 18th lunar celebration." I drew back into my own thoughts. Was my birthday already so close? I heard the door latch close as I pulled myself back to reality.

Techi was watching me with his ears drooped. "Did you really mean it Samani? Do you hate me that much?" he asked. I blinked at him, what was he talking about? Oh wait. "N-no Techi it was just an over zealous try to keep him away from us. " I could see the tension leave his body as I spoke. His tail would start to sway as he sat the tray of food on my bedside table.

"I found a winter caravan that is still looking for more passengers. I just have to meet and pay them tomorrow night. Do you still have that small pouch I gave you for the Moondrop Festival?" The pouch? What did he mean? I looked at him quizzically as he laughed softly.

"I guess you didn't find the answer to the puzzle box I gave you." He stood and walked over to the puzzle box I had sat on my desk. He brought it to me and showed me how to open it. "See, this square is on a screw and turns, pulling this piece down so you can push the peg up, and slide the lid off!" he said dramatically, revealing a crystal blue silk pouch with an S stitched into it.

My eyes widened at the sight of such a luxurious pouch. He couldn't have thought I'd ever let him get away with buying me that could he?

"Techinasa please tell me that's not real silk, " I scolded him. He gave me a toothy grin that made him look like a true trouble maker. In response I punched him in the arm.

"Ow, if that's what the outside gets me then don't open it 'Mani, please!" he laughed as he teased me. "What do you mean?" I asked, worried he spent even more on whatever was inside. I picked up the pouch delicately, letting my pads get a good feel of the silk. Our parents were rich yes, but they pulled the money away from Techi and I to make us realize how hard we need to work in the world. Silk is a rarity that he and I had rarely messed with.

I gently pulled the strings to open it, revealing a slave bracelet like the one that I had been looking for. The dark red of real rubies glistened beside the black onyx, both contrasting the bright silver of their settings.

"Oh Techi, it's beautiful!" I said with a soft gasp. I looked to him in shock as he smiled, pulling a folded envelope from underneath the carefully packed jewelry. "This is why I asked." He pulled a small fold of large bills from the paper. "I had a note that said to save it for a rainy day, but would you like to use it to help secure a place in that caravan? I'll put in 200 credits if you will." he smiled

I looked over at him again, nodding as I clasped the bracelet around my right paw, hoping that having it signal that I am un-mated would help our cause in this fight. Techi put quite a few bills back into the pouch, sitting the entire thing aside.

"Samani, since we are the only ones on our floor, would you like to find one of the empty rooms and make it our own for the night?" he asked as he pulled me close to him, tilting my head up to look him in the eyes before placing a soft kiss on my lips. I couldn't help but nod into the kiss, gently wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Just cover the window and blow out the candle and we can just stay in here. We'll just have to keep quieter than we were under the tree," I whispered once we parted. He stood with a nod, moving to cover the window as I blew the candle out.

I slid from my place on the bed, swiftly moving the bedding to the floor for our comfort. My paws were shaking in a mixture of fear and anticipation as I watched his lithe body in the shards of moonlight that pierced through the curtain.

"Even in the dark you're gorgeous, my sweet Samani." He almost whispered the last few words. Almost as though he feared someone would hear. I gave him a soft smile and raised a paw in offering to bring him down to me. He smiled and sat atop the pallet I made, pulling me towards him for a kiss.

His lips were so soft and gentle, not like the lust-full need like the last time. He would place his paws on my back and lead me to lie down, stroking my arms and down my sides. I sighed and allowed myself to be drawn into his embrace.

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"Techi are you sure its safe to go out?" I asked, gripping his arm gently. He gave me a kind smile and kissed my forehead. "Go get cleaned up darling. I'll return in a few hours with our passage secured," he responded softly, giving me a kiss to the forehead. I sighed and released his arm. Mere hours before the sunlight would show itself, he left me alone, taking the credits with him to the caravan.

The dark moons were slowly hiding themselves below the horizon as I watched out the window. Thankfully I had been the only one on the path towards the bathing hall. It was so relaxing to slip my sore body into the waters, removing the sweat and the scent of a heated love from my fur. A soft sigh escaped my maw as I ran a rag along my face to clean the mats of sweat out.

"Goodness, and here I thought I was the only one awake at this hour," I nearly jumped out of my pelt as I spun to face the voice. The stocky little hamster would smile down at me.

"Chimise, don't scare me like that," I stated with a paw to my chest. She chuckled and gave me a kind smile. She slid into the waters near me to start removing some blood stains from her arms.

"I'm sorry my dear. I honestly didn't expect anyone to be awake at this time of night. I was only up because there was a cub that demanded it be born tonight, " she replied softly. I watched her as I tried to slow my racing heart. She may be chubby, but even so she was aging gracefully with her chub being all in the right places.

"Well I hope it went alright, the birth I mean." I said softly to break the silence. She nodded and slid over next to me, placing a clean paw to my forehead. I could tell that she was tired but her dedication was impeccable.

"It went just fine, it is nice however to see you out of that dusty bedroom of yours though. Does this mean your fever has finally broke enough for you to explore?" she asked me softly. I gave her a soft nod.

"Yes and it's all thanks to your help Chimise." I could tell that my answer warmed her soft heart. "Just don't stay wet for too long after you finish bathing, I wouldn't want you put straight back into that sick state" She said with a chuckle.

Suddenly a crash of armor falling against a wall brought our attention to the high open windows. I could hear guards shouting to one another. Are we being attacked by the Scorpids? Chimise stood and barred me behind her.

"Samani darling, I suggest you go on to your room post haste." She glanced over her shoulder as she faced the door leading to the gardens. I gave her a nod and scrambled out of the water, grabbing my towel and running towards the stairs that lead back to the changing rooms.

I didn't even bother with drying off as I quickly put my nightgown back on. Grabbing my undergarments and towel, I hurried up the stairs two at a time, passing many groups of people in the stairwells. I could hear them fearfully questioning one another about what was happening outside. One mentioned the Scorpids, another said it was a lone male. Another yet dared to say it was a armor clad female attempting to hide behind a male shadow.

My stomach twisted itself into knots as I slammed the door to my room. I dropped my things on the bed as I rushed to the window and threw the curtains open, searching the walls of the gardens. The guards had trapped a lone figure against a tall part of the wall.

A spear was launched from the crowd of guards. It caught the black cloak's hood, drawing it back and pinning the wearer to the wall. In an instant my heart dropped.

It was Techinasa.