FSE

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The fox sighed to herself as she was carted down the street. She remembered only what the burgormeister had said at the end of her half-day trial. Guilty of harlotry and solicitation of men. She had never done such a thing, despite her awkward appearances, but he wanted to stay in the church's light. So what if she had orange fur and green hair? Was that supposed to make her some sort of demon-fur?

The next thing she recalled was a hard, rotting potato hitting her face, bruising her hard. She recalled the one she fell for, and vice versa, or what she was told by him. Sure, he was wanting to be a knight, and was nothing but a knave right now, but he wanted to be a knight nonetheless, to serve his highness with unwavering loyalty. Where was he now?

She tried scanning the masses that had assembled outside where she was being carted now, to the stocks. Not even her parents were willing to stand by her with this judgement. A small village, none would help her out after the burgormeister gave his verdict. It was nice, until this morning of course.

A week in the stocks was the sentence, but she would undoubtedly be branded for life. She saw someone hooded in the crowd. An assassin? As another rotten fruit splattered across her face, she prayed it was. She soon felt the cart stop and someone unceremonially grab her and quickly place her in the stock, with the heavy weighted wood keeping her there as the crowd continued to pelt her with the waste of the year's harvest.

Already in nothing but her underclothing, she felt the cold chill bite her body, hearing only the crowds angry cries. She closed her eyes in defeat, knowing there was nothing that could possibly save her now. She heard some heavy footsteps and the crowd die down as a strong voice boomed out to the crowd.

"Ladies, gentlemen, children! You have wasted enough of your food with disgracing a disgraced child of God. Return to your lives. Should any of you throw another grain of salt at this poor child, whom you have deemed beyond redemption, you shall share the same fate she must bear!"

She couldn't turn her head to see who had spoken, but it had been enough to drive away the crowd. She dared to open her eyes and noticed no hooded fur, before hearing a whisper into her ear. She strained her focus on it, slightly out of fear of what it might hold, and reverence for saving her from, at least, more shame than she must carry.

"I will investigate what has transpired... should any return tonight, I will question them. I doubt you'll be going anywhere soon, so try to relax."

With that, the heavy footsteps faded away, and she was left alone as the sky darkened with the coming night. She barely registered any change in time, as the wind kept chilling her body. Sighing heavily, she could only think of the wolf she accepted to be her husband, wondering where he was.

As the night dragged on, a few lanterns lighted up the village square, causing her to shut her eyes. She heard a few voices, wondering who it was. As she braved her vision to look upon them, she noticed it was her betrothed, finally here, but with some other characters as well.

"But sire, I had asked her to marry me. Is that a crime worthy of such a punishment when she lept into my arms and we shared but one kiss?"

"SILENCE Knave! This harlot, having done such an act, has proven she is out of God's Grace. Even before she was born, with her colorations, has she fallen from His Gaze. Why you would fall for such a whore is beyond me!"

Tears formed in her eyes as she realized that even her betrothed could not save her. She was outcast as a cub already due to how she came out. She couldn't bear not being with one whom she loved. She saw someone coming now, who drew the attention of the knight whom her betrothed served.

"Tobias, every creature is created by God. Even you, who go to church every mass, must realize this, but you obviously do not understand. Just because one creature is created in a visage that is not appealing does not mean that it is without God's loving grace. Now, who is your knave?"

In a hushed voice, she couldn't hear, her love's name was revealed to the hooded figure from before, yet she already knew it, Micheal, named after the Archangel. The figure stood there, looking at her betrothed, talking to him in a hushed voice, probably trying to garner some answers from him. After a few moments, the figure walked towards her, the knight somewhat tensing up.

"Milord! You would dare intervene the church's decision?"

As the figure turned to Tobias, the knight's eyes widened in fear. After taking a few steps back, he froze, Michael not moving at all from the gaze he had seen. When the figure turned back to the fox, she couldn't even see his face due to the wood behind her head blocking her.

"What is your name?"

"Shizune..."

When the hooded fur turned back around, she caught a glimpse of something regal, a nobleman? She turned the thought over in her head. There were peasants, like her, members of the church, knights and their squires and knaves, and nobleman. Could one have come all this way just for her? What would he do to her?

"Michael, do you truly wish to be with Shizune?"

"Sir, I really wish I could."

"Meaning? I wish to know a more elaborate explanation. Do not worry, if Tobias cannot hold his own tongue, I shall hold it for him in front of his own eyes."

Michael took a hard gulp, "I really desire to be a knight, but I also desire to be with Shizune."

"Are you smitten by her?"

"Sir?"

"Are you in love with this young creature of God?"

Michael took a deep breath before answering, but before he could, the figure held up a gloved paw. "Your hesitation reveals that you are uncertain. Any man, even as young as you, would have not hesitated. Continue your tutelage under Sir Tobias. Do not seek this young lady out again for courtship, otherwise Tobias would have lost a very dedicated knave.

"I'm also overuling the burgormeister's ruling and sentencing, as well as the church's outcries. The church is supposed to be loyal to God, I owe my loyalty to two beings, God, and the people of this country, not to the church or those who lord over the people. Tobias, take your knave and return to your quarters. My business here will be complete shortely, after you have me your spare set of clothing."

With reluctance, the knight handed the hooded figure his second set of clothing, then walked away with his knave behind him. Then, the fur turned around and knelt down to the fox's face, looking over her in the dim light. After a few moments of examining her face, she heard the unmistakable sound of metal singing as it grazed leather, then heard the sound of metal breaking and felt the heavy wood lift from her neck and wrists. As she righted herself, she looked at the figure with awe.

"Shizune. This village has treated you quite horridly, from what I understand from your parents. However, they are willing to send you away with me, where you will be shunned less. Here, take these clothes, the air is chill tonight."

She felt the cloth in her arms before she could utter a word, then heard the graze of metal on leather again before the figure left, returning shortly with a proud steed, the figure looking at her expectantly as she dressed to warm herself a little against the cold.

"Forgive me for asking, but who are you?"

Removing the cowl, it was unmistakable by his fine features and his circlet, "I am Prince Flame. Are you ready Shizune?"

Without another word, she moved to him as he mounted his steed, reaching a paw down to her. Her eyes just looked up at him, staring into his tiger face as she laid her paw in his slowly, only to be hoisted up in a quick motion. She felt the wind against her as the horse hurried off towards the main citadel, what she expected to be there for her was the last thing in her mind.

In a few short hours, he had uncovered much about her past, her beloved's uncertainty, and one of his loyal knight's questionable faith in the divine heavens. She wasn't allowed to go to mass, and she only knew God from the bible. But this total stranger, the prince no less, had done so much for her, even freeing her from her fate, in less than half a day. No doubt, he had earned her loyalty.