Thievery and Lies: Chapter 1
Chapter II
Dinner was delicious. Cubes and other cuts of chicken, rich in flavor. A light brown sauce he'd never had before that tasted sweet, yet added a thickness and more bulk to the chicken. Also on his oversized dinner tray were corn, peas, a small amount of rice, and mashed potatoes (which, he found, tasted great along with the brown sauce,) and a small portion of cake along with it. He ate slowly, dazzled by the new tastes and the smell of it all. When the cougar arrived to remove the empty tray, the man in bed laid with his head tilted back; belly near bursting and his eyes closed to a satisfied squint.
"Seems you enjoyed the food, sir?" He smiled, holding the dirty dinnerware.
The blankets covering the bed shifted around as his tail wagged below it. "Yes. It was absolutely delicious. Thank you." He replied, sitting up. By now he felt better than earlier, his belly rumbling occasionally in thanks for nourishment.
"Ooh, yes. You seem unused to such pleasantry? I thought you were rather used to all of this." Khale said, tilting his head in question.
"Ah, no. I'm not, actually. I used to be rather poor; born on an old farmland in Karnele. After Makaar took over, I was moved further into Fye. By that time I was still very young.." he explained, not letting to much personal info into the open yet. The cougar shifted his weight, now visibly interested.
"Ooh.." His ears folded again. "Sorry.. I did not know... Uhm, I will excuse you now." He smiled, before turning and leaving.
The door shut softly behind him. Khale went down to the kitchens to deliver the dirtied tray and dishes. By now the other servants were eating, they were quite well fed themselves, so there was even some left in the pots. He wasn't hungry then, but thought he would try some of the congealing chicken and gravy later on. The unnamed guest on the other hand, was as full as one could be. After having a cooling drink, rest, and a delicious and filling meal, he felt closer to normalcy. It was then that his new surroundings registered in his mind.
The walls here were of course wooden, though not plain as they were downstairs. This room's walls were painted a very soft, but bold red. Various paintings adorned the walls, and near his double bed on either side sat a night table and shaded candle. The identical shades matched the room, a dark red with soft white lacing on the top and bottom. Elegant, he thought. Better than the rooms he'd been used too by far. And a wardrobe, (larger than any he'd seen before) sat aside the shaded window in the north of the room. This caught his eye, because rather than being a single furnishing item, it appeared to be a door. He settled on the thought that it was built as a room itself. A walk-in wardrobe. This too teased his mind, he thought it strange and unlikely, and through all his thinking it was some time before he noticed the slim cougar standing before him.
"Uhm.. I'm sorry to intrude.." he said apologetically when the daydreaming fox finally caught his gaze. "I notice your interest in the wardrobe." he stated after a few moments of silence. He smiled, and to answer him before the question rose, "Yes. It is built into the wall.. It's a "closet.""
He looked confused. "A... "closet"? Interesting.." He said, resting his head on the soft pillow again to look to the cougar. "I've never seen one before. And they store clothes also?"
The cougar nodded, silently intrigued of the fox's curiosity. " It's like a small room for clothing and such items."
"Ahh.. I see."
Khale watched as he drifted back into his thoughts. "You've really never been near a closet before?" He stifled a giggle as the fox shook his head. The cougar let him rest for a while longer; Wanting to show him both the closet and the bath, which he was sure would be new to him as well. It still was a few hours before complete darkness. He figured he would light a few more scented candles tonight, to help relax the household; and he also wanted to let the other servants off duty for a while to relax; though they all had a keen interest in their new guest when he told them of him.
"Who is it?"
"What is their name?"
"Where is he from?" they all asked at once, excitedly.
"What is he?"one of the females, a skunk, asked. "Is he a cutie?"
"Shh.. calm down now.. he's the guest we've been expecting since last month... I do not yet know, and" He laughed, turning to the elderly skunk. "Maryle, of course dear. He's a fox."
She smiled, and looked to him in question. The others had left by now, tending to their own leisure. "Will I get to see the dear soon? I'm sure he's quite tired after his trip. I could prepare a fixing of tea or ale for him to ease his sores." She implied, looking up to the cougar to meet his soft golden eyes with her own grayed and failing pair.
"Yes.. you may, but not now. He's a bit too exhausted. But, I promise. I'll let you see him soon enough." He said, patting and rubbing her shoulder gently. "You should go rest yourself, Old Lady." He laughed the last bit off, and she smiled again. "Old Lady" is Maryle's pet-name, partly due to her age, and also because she had a genuine grandmotherly demeanor.
"I will dear.. will you be suited to care for him alone? I'll help if I am needed, Khale. Don't overdo yourself.." she said, smiling wider.
"Off with you, now.." He laughed, turning her away with gentle paws. "I can handle it.. you've done enough today.. Thank you all, and goodnight everyone.."
One of the younger cubs ran and gave him a hug around his knee.
"Nini Khale!" He said, wagging his short, bushy tail around and around. Khale bent and ruffled the fur between his ears before kissing the side of his muzzle.
"Goodnight little one.. be good alright? No trouble?" he said, again rubbing his ears. The white kit before him nodded before running away with the others. Frost, as he'd been named due to his bright fur, had been adopted into the house by the head of the house when he was much younger. He didn't have a real name, and was given one; but everyone called him Frost instead, and it had stuck.
Talking to the others gave him a sense of well being; family, even. They were all his friends and each seemed to trust and obey him as though he were their Master. The cougar sighed, shoving some of the day's tension away. He went to the kitchens to find an already prepared helping of tonight's dinner and sat to eat it. It was cold, but he didn't mind in the slightest. He ate in the dark, leaning against the cool metal of the ovens.
"Wonder when we'll be able to go back.." He murmured, relaxing a bit after his dinner.