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Simple Simon

Chapter 41

It hadn't taken much to pop the dog's head like a grape, and in the aftermath, it would have been the perfect moment to try an escape. But unfortunately, Captain Howlett was no fool. He had more dogs in the hallway guarding his door, and they came running when he fell to his knees, screaming and covered in the little dog's blood.

"BROTHER!" the captain wailed, and Yeneneshe coldly observed his grieving, as Kayya and Zeinara looked on with their mouths hanging open.

Yeneneshe wasn't sorry. She had been saving her magical energy for just such an outburst. If she was going to die in this place, she would die defiantly - and whilst taking as many dogs with her as she could.

Zeinara and Kayya were returned to the dungeon, but Captain Howlett ordered Yeneneshe shackled paw and foot. He washed himself at a basin with shaking paws, glaring at her with wet eyes from behind red streaks of mane. Why he didn't kill Yeneneshe on the spot was beyond her. His brother's body lay on the floor, headless, in a pool of red mush, and he seemed unable to look at it. Yeneneshe tilted her head down and smiled darkly at the captain, and she was glad when a tremor went through him and he looked away. He was shaken and afraid of her. So he was smart after all.

The dog called Williams grabbed Yeneneshe by the arm and roughly marched her to a room one floor above, where she was made to kneel before a dog in a pale green gown, from the neck of which her breasts were practically bursting. Yeneneshe furtively appraised the bitch from behind the long curtain of her mane. So this was the one they called Tabitha. Yeneneshe wasn't impressed, but she also didn't know what exactly she'd expected.

Tabitha sat behind a desk, haughty and straight. Her green eyes narrowed as she calmly appraised Yeneneshe. Yeneneshe looked back at her just as fearlessly, and she got the distinct impression that they were two opponents, pausing to take measure of each other before a long battle.

But the playing field wasn't level. Lurking in the shadows behind Tabitha was a slender, bright-eyed female . . . a fox. Yeneneshe immediately recognized her as Hawkeye, the powerful vixen who had tamed Palesa and Motsumi like cubs across her knee. She was beautiful, brown as earth, and looked like one of the many shaman Yeneneshe had known when living with her tribe. Black feathers were in Hawkeye's mane, black feathers were around her throat. Her mane and nails were also black and incredibly long, with the nails extending for several inches and her mane falling in loose raven waves to her tail. She was wrapped in a tight deerskin dress, which had been dyed black and was slit up each side to reveal her thighs. Her bone bracelets and necklaces clicked softly with each subtle movement, and her rich chocolate breasts pushed up from the deep neckline of her simple dress in a display that was far more impressive than Tabitha's.

Yeneneshe met Hawkeye's bright gaze and didn't flinch. The witch seemed impressed by her fearlessness. She nodded slowly, her eyes intent as they danced over Yeneneshe, summing up the whole of her. She looked upon Yeneneshe with a hunger and a knowledge that . . . frightened her. What did Hawkeye know that Yeneneshe did not?

Captain Howlett burst in the door, clean of his brother's blood and clad once more in his silver armor. His red mane was tousled with grief and rage, and his eyes were still wet with tears. His green cape flared as he barreled into the room, stabbing a large finger at Yeneneshe. "I want that creature's head!" he bellowed.

"Calm now, my love," said Tabitha quietly. She didn't take her eyes from Yeneneshe as she lifted a fan from her lap and slapped it open with a lazy wrist. Her slanted eyes continued their thoughtful journey across Yeneneshe's face.

Captain Howlett scowled. "Don't you tell me to be calm! She blew Elton's fucking head off!" He violently ripped his sword from its scabbard, and Yeneneshe tensed only a little. "I'll cut the cunt's head off right here, if I please --!"

"No," said Tabitha quietly, "you won't."

Yeneneshe saw Howlett go very still. She followed his gaze and saw that Tabitha was holding a small egg-shaped stone on her paw. The stone was glowing red, and the light cast her face in a sinister glow. Her eyes swam with the blood-red light as she stared over the stone at the captain, calmly daring him to proceed.

Captain Howlett swallowed bitterly and sheathed his sword with barely concealed anger, his paws shaking, his face sour. Yeneneshe could tell that he wasn't used to taking orders from Tabitha. He'd probably had full run of the place before they happened along with the artifacts. And before Hawkeye. Yeneneshe saw the captain dart a glare at the witch before looking away again.

"I expect there's a damn good reason you're pussyfooting around with these bloody prisoners," the captain snarled. "We've had Jule's creature over a month and have wasted food and water keeping him alive. Now you want to keep a bunch of ragged foxes as well? I say we kill them all, hang that bitch Pili on the gate, and send the princess home with a message."

Tabitha slowly shook her head. "Don't be a fool. Even with the artifacts, we do not possess the might to challenge Etienne so blatantly. Not yet anyway."

Howlett took an angry breath through his pink nose, and behind Tabitha, Hawkeye grinned.

"How did your brother's brains taste," Hawkeye whispered, her bright eyes fixed on Howlett, "when they spattered your face? I always wondered how his brains would taste."

Captain Howlett tensed. He stabbed a finger at Hawkeye. "Tabby, if you don't shut that cunt's filthy fox lips --!" he shouted. He was shaking all over, and Yeneneshe couldn't help but smile. The captain absolutely_hated_ that two females had complete control over him. It was becoming all the more apparent that he was used to having his way around Canderly, and now he was being openly mocked in the very estate he used to command. And before his soldiers. Howlett's subordinates stood outside the door, listening to their captain take a tongue lashing with barely concealed smirks.

"The girl is impressive," Hawkeye said, startling Yeneneshe from her thoughts. Her sharp, piercing eyes were fixed on Yeneneshe with bright hunger, and her fangs were glinting in the gloom. She looked like a cat about to devour a bird. "I request that I may keep her," Hawkeye said to Tabitha. "You may skin the others, if you like. They mean nothing to me."

Yeneneshe tried not to react, but her ears pricked forward.

"You will take her as payment for your services," Tabitha said without turning her head. Her eyes had dropped to the desk; she was observing the paperwork there. She put a pair of spectacles on her nose and lifted a piece of parchment to her face. "And she is all you may take."

Hawkeye glared at Tabitha's back, and Yeneneshe knew she wanted the artifacts.

Captain Howlett's mouth dropped open. "You're gonna let this little - whore - go free," he snarled, stabbing a finger at Yeneneshe, "after what she did to Elton!" The way he was screaming, he seemed to believe that Tabitha should care about Elton as well. But Tabitha couldn't seem to care less.

Tabitha didn't look up from her paperwork. "Yes. Come now, Eugene. Elton's death was only beneficial to y --" the word choked in her mouth when Captain Howlett drew his sword and pointed it at her face. Tabitha's green eyes traced along the blade to his twisted expression. She looked at him in shock. The stone was on the desk. He could slice her throat, and she wouldn't have time to grab it.

Yeneneshe thought the captain would kill Tabitha and waited for the moment with bated breath. Apparently, Hawkeye was of the same mind. The witch went very still and watched the altercation with a keen interest bordering delight.

Tabitha swallowed. "Eugene, darling, don't do anything foolish --"

"Don't you call me _darling,_you cow!" Eugene shouted at once. "Either you give me the savage, or I kill you and I take her!"

Tabitha's green eyes darted to her shoulder. She was clearly waiting for Hawkeye to save her, but Hawkeye hadn't moved. "Do something!" Tabitha hissed. "What am I paying you for!"

Hawkeye slowly smiled. "Give my a reason to do something," she said.

Tabitha's eyes narrowed bitterly. "You may have the dagger. Just - don't kill him."

Captain Howlett glared at Tabitha, but fear filled his eyes when the witch stepped from the shadows. He was so frightened, he took a hasty step back, even dropping his weapon to the floor. Once Howlett was unarmed, Tabitha shouted for Hawkeye to leave him be, but the witch didn't hesitate: she blasted the captain off his feet. Sparks flew, and Howlett went tumbling across the floor like rag doll, taking a table and a chair down with him in a crash that summoned the sound of jingling armor.

"I said to leave him be!" Tabitha screamed and lunged from her chair, leaving the artifacts behind. She dropped to her knees beside the limp captain and helped him to sit up. Yeneneshe was amazed by the tears that streamed down Tabitha's breathless face. She sobbed and cradled the captain to her big breasts was -- unfortunately, Yeneneshe thought bitterly -- still alive. The fall had cut his forehead and lip, and he was bleeding from both as Tabitha cradled him.

"He surrendered!" Tabitha shouted, her voice a sob. She bowed her head over the captain and surprised Yeneneshe by sniffling like a child. "He s-surrendered!"

"T-Tabby . . ." Howlett sputtered, mouth bloody. "She's got . . . she's got them . . ."

Tabitha's head snapped around, and she went very still to see Hawkeye had indeed collected the artifacts from the desk. The fox stood with a sinister smile, the stone in one paw, the dagger in the other. Tabitha glared.

"I knew if I was only patient," Hawkeye said. She jerked her head at Yeneneshe, as if she was giving someone a silent command, and Yeneneshe's ears pricked forward to see a dog step out of the shadows behind Hawkeye and make his way directly for her. He didn't look like any dog Yeneneshe had seen around Canderly: he was completely brown, very stoutly built, and had a long brown mane pulled back in a tail. His eyes were blank and unseeing as he bent to take Yeneneshe gently by the arm. He guided her to her feet, then led her back to Hawkeye.

"Good boy, Gussy," Hawkeye said. "Now sit."

The brown dog sat, staring with blank eyes at the wall: he was in her thrall.

Yeneneshe stood before Hawkeye, waiting for what, she didn't know. The sound of Tabitha's sobbing was irritating in the silence, and she could still hear the sound of armor jingling in the hall. Curious that the guards hadn't burst in the room yet. Two of Howlett's soldiers stood in the door, too afraid to move.

Hawkeye listened to the sounds in the hall as well, then looked at Yeneneshe with her bright yellow eyes. "I would find your brother," she said, one of the feathers in her black mane dancing from her breath. "The one called Nkwe. I know that he lives. Where is he? Tell me now, and you may walk free."

Yeneneshe hesitated. She was so startled, she didn't know what to say.

"Hurry," Hawkeye hissed. "Jule's brother comes here to take what is his. It is why I was content to wait for the right moment to steal the artifacts. Tell me, and we can be gone from here. Both of us."

But Yeneneshe saw no reason why she should help Hawkeye escape with the artifacts. And she had no intention of leaving the others behind. She didn't know where Nkwe was regardless, but so long as Hawkeye didn't know that, she could keep her there.

When Yeneneshe remained silent, Hawkeye glared at her and made a quick - and jarring - attempt to read her mind. The attempt failed, and Hawkeye was cast out. She shook from the mental struggle and regarded Yeneneshe with annoyance.

"My, but you are powerful, aren't you?" Hawkeye said darkly. But she smiled. "Reminds me of myself when I was a cub your age. Unfortunately," the witch said through her fangs, and Yeneneshe tensed, "I must resort to more forceful measures if you will not --"

Hawkeye's words cut short when several armed dogs rounded the doorway, and immediately upon seeing them, they fired into the room.

Yeneneshe screamed and dropped behind the desk. Hawkeye wasn't as fast: she was shot in the shoulder. She dropped the artifacts with a cry and staggered in a daze to her knees.

The dogs stamped into the room with jingling armor. Hiding behind the desk, Yeneneshe could see they were the same sort of dog that permeated the whole of Canderly: foxhounds. But they weren't wearing the colors of Osterwill, no green capes flared and no green seals were on their jackets. They wore royal blue and silver, and even the feathers in their helms were dark blue. Yeneneshe watched as they went immediately to Tabitha, who was sobbing and sniffling as they hurled her to her feet. She tried to resist and even made several reaching attempts to holding on to Howlett, but they pried her away. Two more dogs located Yeneneshe and Hawkeye behind the desk and pulled them to their feet. A last pair discovered Hawkeye's thrall, snapped their fingers in his unresponsive face, and - unsure what to do with him - dragged him over to stand with Yeneneshe and Hawkeye.

"All are apprehended and accounted for, your lordship!" shouted one of the dogs, a tall one in silver armor who wore a blue cape. Yeneneshe assumed he was the captain of these intruders.

A moment later, and a tall and graceful foxhound had entered the room, richly dressed in black garments. Yeneneshe had to register her shock, for he looked exactly like Jule, and for several seconds, she thought he_was_ Jule. But his mane was a different color and his demeanor twice as dignified. It slowly dawned on her that she was looking at Jule's twin brother, Simon McIntyre.

Simon's slender frame was swathed in a cloak with black feather pauldrons on the shoulders. His fingers glinted with silver rings, and his silver mane and cold, silver eyes seemed to match his jewelry impeccably. He leaned ever so slightly on a cane with a winking diamond for a handle as his calm eyes passed over the room, appraising everyone within. He carelessly gestured the cane at the artifacts on the carpet, and one of the soldiers brought them to him. Hawkeye's breasts heaved angrily as he put them away in his cloak. It took Yeneneshe a moment to realize Hawkeye had been shot with a magic-canceling dart: there would be no taking the artifacts by force.

"S-Simon," Tabitha whispered pitifully. Two of Simon's soldiers had her by the arms and were eying her enormous cleavage. "Don't send me back to LakePenning. I can explain --"

"Shut up, Tabitha," Simon said wearily.

Tabitha sniffled and shut up.

Simon waved at the inert captain, and a few soldiers gathered Howlett and carried him from the room. Tabitha's eyes widened in silent protest, fresh tears rising in her eyes as the captain's unconscious body was carried away.

Simon pressed a kerchief to his nose as if it smelled and glanced around the room. "When I heard my brother was dead, I didn't want to entertain the notion that you had harmed him. After all, that was my job," he said, his eyes alighting again on Tabitha. "It smells like cooking wine in here. Is this where you brewed the poison, I wonder."

Tabitha slowly shook her head, and Yeneneshe thought she looked too afraid to speak.

Yeneneshe couldn't believe it. All the time she'd spent in the dungeon with the others, listening to them complain about how dangerous and cunning Tabitha le Frey was. But Captain Howlett had been injured, was far from her grasp, and she had dissolved into puddy. It was very clear in that moment who the real ruler of Canderly had been all along. Tabitha was pathetic. Yeneneshe would have spit on her if she could.

". . . how did you know he was dead?" Tabitha asked, though she glanced darkly at Hawkeye as if she already knew.

Hawkeye was bleeding from her arm and panting with pain, but she smiled a smirking smile at Tabitha that only confirmed the latter's suspicions.

"You lying hussy!" Tabitha burst, tears still coursing down her twisted face.

"Seems you have a traitor in your midst," Simon said, glancing at Hawkeye in much amusement. Yeneneshe's ears pricked forward when Hawkeye gave Simon a warm smile. Simon smiled in return, but his eyes turned back to Tabitha, coldly calm. "Of course you weren't in a rush to inform the rest of the family and I that Jule was dead. We would assume you had done it. You needed time to form an alibi, perhaps blame his death on the princess. But we both know King Etienne wouldn't take kindly to that. Especially if his daughter claimed she'd had her arm twisted into a marriage. You were in a bit of pickle, weren't you? So you lured the princess into the dungeon with a little magic to alter the passages, locked her away, and tried to clean up the mess. Witnesses silenced, graves dug in the courtyard." He tisked. "Quite a muddle. Perhaps you thought Zihma or Maret would help you. But the gods have been silent, haven't they?" He paused, regarding Tabitha with an almost expressionless face.

Tabitha didn't seem to know what to do. "What . . . what do you want from me, Simon? If you know I didn't kill Jule, then you must let me go --!"

"No," said Simon quietly. "I think you did kill Jule. I think you were so enraged by his marriage to the princess that you murdered him during one of your little tantrums. Accidentally, of course. Then you tried to cover it up, locked the princess away - perhaps you were going to kill her as well. You could have gotten away with it if only you'd been a bit smarter. You could have pinned it on your witch." He glanced once at Hawkeye, who smiled at him with amused yellow eyes.

Tabitha glowered as it dawned on her. "Are you really casting your lot with that - that_savage_! Don't be a fool, Simon! She'll kill you in your sleep! I'm surprised she hasn't bitten your dick off already."

Hawkeye laughed softly, still clutching her bloody arm.

Simon snorted. "Look at the pot calling the kettle black. Hawkeye was working for you, wasn't she? Or at least pretending to."

Tabitha's big breasts heaved. "Simon, please. You know I didn't kill Jule!"

"Do I?" Simon said with a wry smile. "I'm sure the princess would readily agree that you have indeed murdered him. I am also more than certain she would be grateful for my efforts to protect her from the likes of you and your . . . sycophant," he said with disgust, and when Tabitha's breasts heaved again, Yeneneshe knew he was referring to Howlett. "Or rather . . ." Simon laughed lightly. "You were Howlett's sycophant, weren't you? Making a fool of yourself, sobbing and tripping over a male who couldn't care less about you. And was that peasant's cock really worth all the fuss? You let him have control of my brother's lands, thinking like some adolescent bitch that it would please him, and Jule just sat on his ass, fucking servant boys and getting drunk." Simon snorted again. "My brother's death was a mercy."

Tabitha swallowed, fresh tears coursing down her face. "P-Please, Simon. Don't hurt Eugene . . ." She sank slowly to her knees, and the guards restraining her let her go, watching her great breasts jiggle as she bowed her head. "Don't hurt my love . . . He's the only male who's ever . . . who's ever loved me. . . ."

Simon shook his head in disgust. "And you still defend the lout. I should have his head sent to Wychowl --"

"No!" Tabitha wailed and burst into fresh tears.

"Perhaps the king will invite me to court for my services," Simon went on, ignoring her. "Perhaps I shall return the McIntyres to their former glory. . . . and all thanks to you, dearest Tabitha. I just need you to take the blame . . . for everything." He turned away, and as Tabitha went red in the face, he said over his shoulder, "Thanks, by the way."

Yeneneshe lifted her brows as she watched Simon walk out: Simon wasn't the least bit _simple_after all.