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"What do you mean you can't find him?" Idris Octavia demanded, standing stiffly in his personal office as he took a call from one of his field officers. The public nature of the operation against Psygenics had mandated his presence at the palace in order to both calm the public and beat back nosy press officials, and he was already regretting it as worrying reports came in from the various teams who had been dispatched to the residences of several prominent researchers, scientists, and other individuals who had been implicated in the treasure trove of documents, research, and other evidence collected from the Oro's base of operations.

*Exactly what I said, sir. The target isn't here. Our taps were spoofed. Laptops, notes, personal devices, security feeds, all of it is gone, fried, or compromised. Place is untouched otherwise. You could put in on the market tomorrow, probably get a handful of bids too. No sign of a struggle and no tracks to follow. This was professional.*

"Damnit!" Octavia roared, pounded the wall with his fist. The outburst resulted in a frightened squeak from just outside his office door, prompting the Sekhama commander to click his tongue against his teeth and send an order to his field team. "Lock it down and get intelligence in there immediately."

*Yes sir. I'll report back if we find anything.*

The lion faunum slumped into his chair and pressed two fingers against his temple, fighting off a headache. The higher ups at Psygenics had been apprehended without incident, and many were already saying whatever they thought the Sekhama wanted to hear in order to secure their freedom. It was both expected and useless. "Something else is at play here, someone willing to sacrifice a great deal of money."

"Uh... excuse me, Mr. Octavia sir?" came the voice from outside again. He sat straighter, organized a couple of papers on his desk, and ensured he'd closed all comm links before beckoning the serving girl inside, unsurprised to find none other than Eina using her tail-less rear to push the door open while bearing a tray of strong coffee and an assortment of lightly candied nuts. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but Mistress insisted that-"

"Yes yes, I'm sure she did," the Commander chuckled lightly, waving her in. The cheetah placed the tray on his desk and began preparing the beverage for him, lighting several coals soaked in mildly fragrant tree oils and placing an ibrik atop them. Into the water she spooned a small helping of sugar and one serving of finely ground coffee powder, stirring it and allowing it to settle before placing the accompanying snack before him. He watched the motions of her hands carefully, more out of habit than true suspicion, meeting her alluring purple eyes once she stood back, waiting respectfully until his coffee boiled. "So they have you running errands, do they?"

"Y-yes sir, er no!" she stammered. "The Matriarch said that this was of... ah, utmost importance and to serve you according to your needs."

"Did she now?" Idris replied slowly, stroking his chin and looking her over. Eina felt more like a gazelle than a cheetah at that moment but he waved her into the chair on the other side of his desk with assurances. "Don't bother standing on ceremony. I'm not one of those posh corporate executives and water doesn't boil in seconds. I'm sorry, Eina. I guess she's taken a liking to you."

"I, excuse me sir?" she asked for clarity, not having the faintest idea what the commander was on about.

"You aren't the first one she's given such orders to. Let's call them open ended, shall we?" he suggested, lacing his hands together and resting his elbows on his desk. "She often does this when there's a press conference or some other stressful situation that keeps me cooped up here behind these walls of ours, sends me a decadent selection of indulgences to tempt me and keep me on my toes. Coffee, sweets, pleasing scents, pleasing women. I will say though, you're one of the few to react that way."

Eina felt herself shivering as Octavia laughed at the situation, taking one of the almonds and savoring it before offering the tray to her. When he motioned with his hand for her to take one she obeyed. Though her throat was dry, the sumptuous, sweet and salty treat had her salivating and she found her voice after swallowing. "I would not reject you, sir. I just thought that- well, you and the Mistress are..."

Eina trailed off as Octavia developed an almost fond expression, shaking his head and taking another nut from the tray. "This likely won't come as a surprise to you, Eina, but my relationship with our dear Matriarch is... complicated. While I would never say a poor word about my former wife, the reality of service to the crown can only be fully understood by those who live in this world. That is why you are here, to offer me a respite from administrative duties when I would rather be in the field. I wonder how she will respond when I turn you away. What do you think?" the lion asked, displaying a rare and fleeting sense of humor.

"I... ah... I am not sure, sir," Eina admitted timidly, taking another snack when offered. "Would she not be cross if I were to have sex with you?"

"Oh yes, I wouldn't hear the end of it for weeks!" Octavia agreed, attempting a rather poor imitation of Oshabi. "Why don't you go find that young little girl again? Was she better than me? Do you prefer cats to dogs? Blah blah blah."

"Then perhaps I should serve you your coffee and be on my way," Eina suggested, standing to check on the simmering brew. She scooped a couple spoons of foam into a small glass before resting the utensil against a porcelain dish and taking her seat again as the remainder of the coffee took its final boil.

"Oh I am not sure that's wise either," Octavia drawled, eyes narrowing as Eina froze in her seat. "Why would you reject the woman I sent to you, she would say. Was she not good enough? Do you not like cat girls? Are you saying that I'm losing my touch? Has your cock finally gone limp for good?"

"M-Mr. Octavia!" Eina gasped as he rumbled with laughter.

"Please excuse me, Eina. It's been a long day and as our dear Matriarch has identified, it will likely be a long night as well. I am just trying to explain to you how she operates. Every angle is to her benefit. No matter how you play within her harem, she will win. The only truly winning move is to not play at all." He noted her look of regret and qualified his words. "Though that advice is much more applicable to someone like me than you. Service has its rewards here in the palace, Eina, and no one is better positioned to dispense rewards of any sort than she. On the off chance that my rookie did not satisfy you I would be happy to oblige but otherwise, the coffee, nuts, and light conversation will be more than enough for me today."

Eina cleared her throat as she finally got what she assumed was a real answer from Octavia regarding the extent to which she might serve him that day. She took a calculated risk, counting on him to be honest again in his words. "Spot is a kind young man."

"Oh ho! Falling in love with him are you?" Octavia remarked, knowing he'd struck home as she twisted her hands together in her lap. "Don't worry, child. Not every harem girl does such things, but you must strengthen your spine if that's your answer. The Matriarch may possess absolute authority within her domain, but she cannot be in all places at all times. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I believe I do," Eina nodded.

"Good, pour my coffee and then get on your knees and show me what you can do with your mouth," Octavia commanded casually. Eina's stomach turned to ice and just about dropped into her abdomen as she stood and complied with the first part of his order, her shaking hands managing to pour the steaming, strongly scented liquid into the proper cup before placing it in front of him atop the proper saucer. She then walked around the desk and knelt just to the side of his chair, privately uttering an apology to Spot as she wondered if she could ever hope to live up to the Matriarch herself. The commander was looking down at her with a sad expression on his face. "What did I just say, Eina?"

"To pour your coffee and then service you with my mouth?" she mumbled.

"Before that." Octavia watched as realization slowly dawned on Eina, followed by immense shame and embarrassment. He reached down and cupped her chin with a couple fingers. "Learning how to say no without offending someone will take you far here. But I am the Commander of the Sekhama, not the sort of person who can teach you that skill. Please, return to your seat before I consider actually horning in on my rookie's harem flower. Your beauty is not in question."

"I'm very sorry, sir. I believe I should leave you to your coffee now?" she tried. He nodded slowly.

"I'll let you go soon, I promise. I just wanted to hear how your daughter is adjusting to all of this. Your son might still be too young to understand much of what's happening around him," the lion ventured. Eina smiled genuinely for the first time during their conversation at the mention of her children.

"I will try to keep him on a tighter leash. If he has been bothering you or your men I'll-"

"Oh think nothing of it," Octavia waved away her concerns before taking the coffee cup between his fingers. His massive paws dwarfed the beverage, but he still sampled it with practiced finesse. "Mmm, that's not bad. The coffee is quite good so you don't need to go as heavily on the sugar in the future. But everyone has their own tastes. As for your son, it's not like he can get into the armories or anywhere dangerous. No one knows better than my men that boys will be boys, not to mention the jokes about Spot earning himself a son before a woman. I forget sometimes that you came from a rough environment. You wear the uniform well. You probably know what I'm talking about."

"To an extent, yes," Eina confirmed. "Thank you for your understanding. He still has much to learn."

"And learn he shall," Octavia agreed. "As for little Keiko?"

Eina wore a more complicated look as she thought about her daughter. "She understands more and more by the day what I've done in order to feed and clothe her. I think she is torn between wanting to indulge in every girl's dream of being a princess and her fear that she will wake up one day and find herself back in the slums."

"And her mother now works in the palace harem," Idris finished, leaning back in his large, leather chair and scratching his chin. "I was never good with young girls. Couldn't stop my niece from joining the palace guard either. Regardless, I hope that your acclimation goes well, Eina. It would be unbecoming of me to stick my nose into middling palace affairs, but if you have any trouble with the Sekhama specifically, please inform me."

"I'll keep that in mind. Are you... doing alright?" Eina asked in a whisper, hoping she hadn't overstepped her bounds in an attempt to reciprocate the busy lion's kindness. He hummed as he considered the question, downing the coffee and placing the intricately inlaid cup back on the tray.

"I myself am doing rather well, all things considered. And while I have enjoyed this little break immensely, less indulgent concerns demand my attention now."

"Of course, sir. Shall I leave the snacks with you?"

"Please. I don't dare send something back to our dear Matriarch," he replied with a wink before snapping his fingers and humming to himself. "Ah yes. When she inevitably asks about you, tell her that I strongly considered it but that other matters demanded my attention. That should defend both of our honors sufficiently I believe."

"T-Thank you very much," Eina replied gratefully, bowing farewell as she'd been taught before collecting the tray. Octavia stood and walked her to the door, pulling it open so that she would not need to balance it on one hand. "And thank you again, sir. I think I understand why my Mistress likes you."

"If only it were that simple, little thing," he remarked sadly. "Now go and do not neglect your health. As for my rookie... well, this will come across as self serving but the sooner you allow him to 'claim' you, the fewer propositions you will need to endure. There are many men out there who dare not put their own self-image on the line by bedding a woman who has laid with a Sekhama. And while I cannot speak for their relative prowess behind closed doors, they do tend to have nicer looking bodies."

Eina smiled sweetly at him from just over the threshold. "Mr. Octavia, might I ask if you have a son of your own?"

"Heh, I have an entire company of sons, most of whom drive me up the wall," he chuckled before bidding her a final goodnight and closing the door to his office. "Well Spot, that's as much help as I give you. You can't seal the deal someone else will, or perhaps several someones. Now then, which one of you shadow-dwelling slimeballs is spiriting these researchers away out from under my nose?"

"Seth, where are we going?" Keiko asked, finding herself lost yet again as the mercenary led her on a meandering route through the crowded streets of the capital, sometimes through glinting shopping plazas and other times through run down housing tenements.

"We are engaging in preparations," he replied cryptically, walking with his usual purposeful but unhurried gait. Keiko clicked her tongue and shook her head back and forth, mimicking him in jest.

"Oh, and what is it that we're preparing for, my wedding? Why are you always like this?"

Seth was silent for a moment before turning a masked eye her way. "You will see. I'm glad you ate well."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the wild dog demanded, following him up the stairs of a parking complex and down row after row of small vehicles that could manage the streets of the city. There were bikes of all makes and models, classical ones that required 'user input', battery assisted ones, ones that featured magicite engines, and even hover bikes. Seth finally stopped at the end of one of the rows, where he knelt and began unlocking one of the few dual mode bikes on display. Unlike the majority of the vehicles in the garage, Seth used a long iron chain and lock to secure the wheels in addition to the more standard electronic countermeasures. "This belongs to you?"

"It does," he replied shortly, not addressing her by name or by title when out in public. He stowed the chain underneath the seat before entering his passcode. "Vehicle theft is an excellent way to get yourself noticed by someone, as is having a pretty set of wheels."

"Well you don't need to worry about that, Seth. It's not pretty," Keiko agreed, reviewing the rugged, dust-covered vehicle which looked like it spent far more time out in the deserts surrounding the capital than within its borders. The flashiest, trendiest models of bike were metallic and smooth in their presentation, with few points or angles. Seth's bike was rough and angular, featuring leather on the seat, handlebars, and other areas, as well as a carbon fiber styled body. "And is that a grenade?!"

"Little surprise for the truly intrepid thief. It's only gas though, not to worry," he replied.

"Oh that's so reassuring," she responded sarcastically. "Seth, are we going outside of the city? How are we going to get past the checkpoints?"

The mercenary replied in an unconcerned voice, checking the engine, it's magicite core, the backup fuel, and the various systems of brakes and levitators as he did so. "For starters we'll be turning our lenses off, which is common practice even for people with far less to hide than us. As for the checkpoints, we will simply present our identification. The Sekhama do not have the manpower to staff every single entry and exit to the city. This is for you. Talon has excellent sources."

Keiko held out her hand to accept a forged passport that Seth procured from one of his cloak's many pockets. The picture was just close enough to be her while still looking a year or two out of date. She read the name. "Nadia Ahra?"

"You need only remember it for such journeys. Are you familiar with these?" Seth inquired, handing her a small construct made of dark metal with a single button on each side. Keiko laughed.

"A holo crash helmet, Seth? You think my parents would have ever allowed me on a bike like this?"

The mercenary shrugged his shoulders, satisfied as subtle yellow lights winked on along the length of the bike and the display flashed into existence just forward of and between the handles. "May I assist you then?"

"Sure," she agreed, taking in a short breath as he reached up and pushed back her hood, brushing his gloved hands against her ears. She smiled awkwardly, figuring he might be doing the same behind his mask.

"Start with the rear piece," he instructed, separating the device and holding up the larger of the two pieces. Keiko lowered her head slowly and felt the thin metal skeleton come to rest atop her head, the front reaching just above her eyebrows. Seth laid the rest of it slowly along her skull from front to back, traveling between her ears and then down to her neck where the bottom of the anchor reached around and locked itself in place just below her jaw. The fit was comfortable, but the idea of a piece of metal wrapping itself around her neck still gave her the shivers.

"That was supposed to happen, right?" she asked, reaching up to feel the metal 'collar' and the long spine that now ran up and over the curvature of her skull.

"It was, don't worry. I have heard of one or two assassinations being carried out using these things, but there are far easier ways," he said without reassuring her at all. "Now press the front button if you would."

Keiko brought up her hand and pushed the small, green button just above her brow ridge, jumping slightly as the device sensed the contours of her skull and deployed itself around the back of her head. Seth nodded silently and helped her with the second piece, holding it at the right level so that it recognized its twin and connected both above her brow and below her jaw at the collar around her neck. He allowed her to press the button on the front of the second piece, initiating the process that would fully connect the two and protect her head in a thin, flexible dome. The princess gasped as the feeling of the device on her fur actually lessened, the helmet no longer needing her neck as a point of support as it connected around the base of her ears and fanned out to protect her muzzle, cheeks, and lower jaw. When it finished securing itself safely, a visor projected itself over her eyes, allowing her a wide field of view even with the helmet fully on. She reached up to her ears and found that their backs were covered by metal, with the front shielded in the same manner as her eyes. "So that's what that feels like," she remarked.

"I wouldn't know personally, but I've heard that feeling a breeze around your ears while out on the open road can be quite pleasant," Seth told her. "When you want to take it off, simply repeat the process in the reverse. You can try it now."

Keiko did so while Seth did a final check of his bike. She wasn't sure she wanted to know how many non-standard systems there were underneath the well-used exterior, and so she took his advice. While she almost dropped the front portion of the helmet the first time, she found re-equipping it to be rather simple and fiddled around with the visor instead, changing its opacity and making sure she knew how to open up her ears for a refreshing breeze. "So when do I get to know where we're going?"

Seth paused his work, leaning over the throttle for a moment before starting up the bike and maneuvering it slowly out of the small parking spot. In hover mode it was an easy task and he swung a leg over the body of the vehicle before answering her, extending a hand to her. "I apologize, Nadia. But for the moment I would ask you to trust me. The open road is a better place for such a conversation."

Keiko sighed heavily but took his hand nevertheless, swinging her leg over the rear of the seat and finding that the leather accents on the vehicle were well placed to provide comfort for her inner thighs and lower legs. Before he had a chance to set them on their way, Keiko slapped his helmet with her open hand, earning a disgruntled mask looking back at her. "Two things. First of all, if you crash I'm going to be really upset if I'm not dead. Second, if I don't like you're answer you aren't having sex with me for a month!"

"You are not one for idle threats. I'll keep that in mind," he assured her, reaching behind his body to guide her arms around his waist and directing her feet and legs to the most appropriate position for safe, long term riding. Seth glanced back once more as he revved the magicite engine, sending a small plume of shimmering sparks from the exhaust pipe. "Dare I say, enjoy yourself?"

Keiko yelped as they suddenly accelerated along the line of vehicles before steadying out, Seth handling the vehicle with practiced ease as they moved down the ramps of the parking facility to the ground level. Gravity pressed Keiko's chest and piercings against Seth's back, but she was more focused on the strange feeling of the bike itself. Each corner taken in hover mode was something of a drift, with the two of them moving laterally for a good portion of each maneuver. In a flash they were on the streets, the sound of the vehicle itself and the occasional blast of the horn from Seth clearing a path through pedestrians until they reached the nearest vehicle-only artery.

"Hold on," Seth advised, reaching back to pat her thigh once before taking both handles and pushing the bike onward. The sustained acceleration had Keiko gasping as the nearby buildings became a blur and Seth played an exhilarating but quite possibly dangerous game weaving around slower moving trucks, cars, and other vehicles. There were technically speed limits on Alhamkara's freeways, but most were subject to minimal enforcement.

Seth did choose to obey roadway restrictions as they approached the city limits, however, slowly coming to a stop as they neared a small police checkpoint that faced one of the desert freeways that led to the city from the west. Keiko wondered for a moment if Seth would eventually head east towards the mountains, but realized that they would soon be asked for identification. She fumbled with her cloak for a second before finding the documents Seth had given her, passing them to a bored looking hyena who glanced at the passports for less than a second before waving with his hand to indicate that they should lower their visors. Keiko had no idea how Seth managed, but whatever the officer saw seemed to satisfy him and they were allowed through without so much as a passing glance, with Seth transitioning the bike to wheeled mode once he was out of sight of the checkpoint.

"There will be a small bump," he advised, his voice crisp and calm in her helmet.

"He just... he just let us through! Even though you're so sketchy!" Keiko complained. "You just smuggled me out of the city!"

"I did indeed," Seth replied with a small hint of pride in his voice. "My lady, the Sekhama busy themselves with the targets that you provided them. The capital is a city of several million persons. They cannot be everywhere at once."

"But the police-"

"Are drawn from the local populace. And they reflect it. They would not have caught us even in the event of a more thorough interrogation, but it saved us a few minutes." Seth tried to comfort her as she sighed heavily into the comms. "The alternative to freedom is even worse."

"I know that, Seth. You don't need to remind me of the dynasties that followed the disappearance of your kind. But now you will tell me where we're going," she insisted, allowing some of the apparent wind to buffet her ears and disperse some of the heat that had been building up inside her helmet. She had to admit, it was quite comfortable against her fluffy fur.

"Of course, Keiko. We are going to one of Argos' many armories. Well, he insists on calling them armories but they are more like caches, scattered about the deserts, mountains, and jungles. I would expect nothing less from a former Sekhama, and it's been quite an upgrade in terms of my quality of life."

"I suppose even wolves like you care about such things," Keiko remarked acidly as the sun cast long shadows along the road, setting just off to the south of their line of travel. Her helmet automatically adjusted to the brightness, no longer hampered by large buildings or closely packed neighborhoods.

"But of course, my lady. I'm only human," Seth joked coarsely. She groaned.

"Does he have any in the mountains at least? It's been a long time since I was able to visit the coastal range."

"Oh, Antares doesn't interest you?" he wondered.

"If I wanted to rub shoulders with those sorts of people I would simply visit the harem, Seth. And I'm sure you would tell me that such things are too dangerous or some such excuse like that even though we're on this bike going humanity knows how fast!"

"Mmm, quite so," he confirmed. "As for our destination, I ask that you simply be patient. Argos is already on his way but I don't think you will be upset."

"And the reason we're going in the first place?" Keiko demanded.

"Two reasons," Seth told her, leaning left to maneuver them gracefully around a long range hauler, solar panels gleaming atop the structure of the vehicle. "The first, as I previously mentioned, is the fact that the Sekhama are rather busy today, making travel easier. The second is the need to equip you properly if you intend to continue rubbing shoulders with my sort of people. Your psyonic tricks are an impressive last-ditch resort, but they will not save you from an ambush, nor will they help you hide your identity. The number of competent psyonics in the kingdom is very low."

"So you intend to give me arms and armor without any sort of training?!" Keiko squeaked.

"Of course! How else would you learn?" Seth proposed. "For now though, please try to enjoy the ride. It's been a long time for me as well."

Keiko realized the meaning of Seth's statement a few miles further down the road, when the mercenary turned right onto a highway that circled around the capital city, leaving behind the larger roadway that would eventually lead to Mount Antares and further beyond that, Lord Torando's kingdom. Instead, Keiko's heart raced happily as they continued to arc around the capital, the sun increasingly at their backs and the towering spires of her home glinting in the distance to their right. Seth even judged a few stretches of road between suburbs and outlying towns safe enough to retract portions of his mask for several precious minutes. "You really enjoy this, don't you?" she asked quietly.

"It is one of the few true joys of my profession, I would say," he agreed. "I was never able to place myself in a mindset where killing became pleasurable."

"That's because you're a human," Keiko insisted, hugging him a bit tighter as she settled in and became more comfortable with the hum of the engine between her legs and the wind in her ears.

"I am not so sure of that, my lady. It would make things easier," he admitted. Keiko bonked him lightly on the helmet again.

"If I'm not allowed to run away from my birthright then neither are you, Seth. We're going to the mountains, aren't we? The coastal range?"

"Are you not running from your supposed birthright at this very moment?" Seth wondered in a playful but accusatory tone. "Yes Keiko, we are. I figured you might find such a location more agreeable."

"Well you're right about that, but how could I possibly do anything differently regarding my birthright?" she demanded hotly. "You stole me away from the altar and essentially gave me the choice of living like a prisoner or playing your little game. At least I'm helping you and Idris clean up the streets for now."

"I was referring to the instances where you presented yourself to me and demanded that I fuck you," Seth clarified, taking advantage of the relative secrecy of the open road. Keiko felt her core burn with both desire and indignation.

"It's not like you can impregnate me," she scoffed. "When the time comes I will bear that duty as best I can. In the meanwhile, maybe you should consider what it means to be the only human left in this world beyond mating with the princess, unless of course there are others like you that you are hiding from me?"

"There are not, Keiko," Seth replied shortly. "And your religion does not define my life."

"Bullshit, it defines everyone's life in this country. And the fact that you try to deny your heritage is only further proof! It will define you either way," the princess insisted adamantly. Seth was quiet for several moments as they cruised along the freeway and eventually turned left to continue on toward the eastern mountain range.

"You have a sharp tongue, my lady," he eventually replied.

"A tongue that was wrapped around your cock this morning, so giving my words some consideration is the least you can do! You deny the mantle of humanity while still being so very human. It frustrates me."

Seth grunted under his helmet. "I see."

Though the silence was awkward for some time, it became less so as the two travelled farther from the capital and away from its outlying suburbs and townships. It was easy for Keiko to lean against Seth and relax or even close her eyes when it seemed to be just the two of them and the open road. Even the excitement of the coastal mountain range drawing ever closer, however, could not stop her from eventually growing hungry. "Seth, I don't mean to interrupt our plans but is there anywhere to eat where we are going?"

"There is indeed, my Lady," he assured her, pulling off of the highway and initiating hover mode again as they moved from well paved thoroughfare to slightly worn down local roadways to a short, gravel path that featured a small, well maintained sign reading 'The Sleeping Monkey - Bed and Breakfast'. Keiko was on high alert by then, sensing that they were closing in on their destination.

"What do I need to do, Seth?" she whispered.

"The same as you did this morning at brunch, Sunburst, nothing more," he told her, pulling right up to the wooden, front stairs of the inn. It was a single story building that was built up against the bottom of the slope of one of the mountains in the range, a couple of rooms branching from either side of the main hall. Keiko was sure that it featured electricity on account of the sign at the beginning of the driveway, but gas lanterns welcomed them instead with a look that would have been called rustic by those with adventurous tastes and backwater by others who preferred the gleaming modernity of the large cities of Alhamkara.

"Woah," Keiko gasped as she slowly swung herself off the bike and found her footing unsure on the loose rock. Seth steadied her gently, much more used to long trips via bike.

"I need to lock up, but feel free to head on inside. The proprietor is a good friend of mine."

"How many friends does one masked man have?" Keiko wondered to herself, shouldering the small bag she'd been allowed to bring with her and walking up the stairs. Stepping through the door she was greeted by a rug of stiff fiber for wiping her paws. Two voices called out to her from behind the main counter, one that she recognized instantly.

"Good evening and welcome to The Sleeping Monkey, Miss. My name is Jasmine. Will you be staying with us for one or multiple nights?" asked a young woman from behind a main desk made of rough, unfinished wood. A burly tiger placed a hand on the ring-tailed lemur's shoulder.

"Jasmine, this is an acquaintance of mine. She goes by Sunburst. I can check them in for the evening. Why don't you head on home for tonight?"

"Because I live here, silly. Or are you telling me to go to one of the local bars to try and find a nice boy?"

"Jasmine! I would never kick you out of your own inn! But you do need to start thinking about family," Argos Entana insisted with a kind expression. The young, uniform-clad lemur placed an affectionate hand on his chest.

"Well then maybe you should stop setting such a high bar for all of those so called boys, boss," she simpered. "But I won't say no to an evening off. Welcome to our inn, Miss Sunburst. I hope you enjoy your stay."

Keiko bowed politely as Jasmine grabbed her cloak from a chair behind the desk and walked off down one of the corridors of the small inn. The wild dog walked up to the counter and stared expectantly at the burly mercenary. "I assume an explanation will come later? You have some very... friendly staff."

"Women want what they can't have," he explained with a wink.

"So do men," Keiko winked right back.

"Mmm, don't tell that to our masked friend. I'm glad you both made it here safely. Sybela seems to think my former brothers have been quite busy today, so it was as good a time as any given what Seth is trying to do. Would you like a private room this evening? Other than dear Jasmine we have no other guests staying with us tonight."

"Oh he would just love that," Keiko tittered. "We'll take a room for two, please. And breakfast tomorrow."

"Still on your good side, is he? As the lady commands!" Argos joked, turning behind him and grabbing a key from the hooks that hung on the back wall. "Number one is all the way down on your left there. Our dining room is the first door on the right in the opposite direction. I'll go see what I can do about preparing a meal and send Seth your way. He's very attached to that bike."

"Thank you, Argos. Just know that your future queen demands an explanation of all of this over dinner," she replied sweetly, brushing her fingertips against his as she took the key from him.

"Here at The Sleeping Monkey your wish is my command," he said with confidence. "I will see you in about thirty minutes then."

Relatively assured by Argos' presence, Keiko headed to her room without waiting for Seth, finding a sparsely furnished room that nevertheless seemed to have comfort where it was needed most. She set her bag down on the cushioned armchair in the corner of the room before gently turning over the sheets of the bed, opening the closet doors, and generally looking for anything out of place. She didn't think she would catch anything herself if it was Seth and Argos at work, but being outside of the palace demanded an elevated level of caution. When Seth caught up with her he glanced around the room with a nod.

"Did you find anything?" he asked in a tone that seemed almost approving. Keiko shook her head as Seth fiddled with a small device in another of his outfit's many pockets.

"No, nothing. But I don't really know what I'm looking for," she admitted as the device finally flashed and held green.

"But you knew to look, even though our dear friend Argos is the proprietor of this fine establishment."

"Any side jobs of yours that I should know about?" Keiko wondered with mild sarcasm. "Gardener, restaurant owner, white collar professional?"

"That last one would be more Talon's style, Keiko. I am full time as it were, but it pays to have friends like Argos who have other ambitions."

"Are you finally going to explain why you decided to elope with me after brunch?" the princess demanded.

"I think it would be best for all parties involved if we conversed with food in our bellies, but yes. We will tell you what you want to know. Did you enjoy the ride, at least?" he asked with a degree of sincerity.

"Yes Seth, I did."