The Visitor Revisited

 Author's Note: Decided to do a new version of one of my old stories. This is the result. 

A few hours journey away from the Vinolian capital lies an estate of reasonable size. At the time of our story, it belonged to an iguana named Maja.

Maja was a widow, her husband, a fellow reptilian by the name of Manfred had died six years earlier, under circumstances which will be revealed later in our story. Leaving Maja to raise their son, Felix (who was two at the time) by herself.

Aside from Maja and Felix, the household also consisted of a handful of servants, as well as a private tutor.

In his second year, Felix was almost carried away by an illness. His health had been a constant source of worry for his mother, ever since.

A few words about Manfred. Maja had first met her late husband in one of the capital's bookstores. Both of them had reached for the same book, their eyes had met and a spark had been struck between them. A tiny spark, yes, but one that would grow brighter with subsequent meetings. 

On this day, Maja was sunbathing on her veranda, while Felix played in the garden. She had almost fallen asleep, when she was woken up by her son's voice.

"Mom! Mom! We have a visitor!"

A visitor? Maja wondered. Who can that be?

She did not need to wonder for long. Following in the heels of her child, was a person Maja had not seen in almost a decade and had thought she would never see again.

"Hello, Maja" Argath said. "It's been a while. Missed me?"

****

Nine years earlier, Maja was sitting on the edge of Argath's bed, after the two of them had finished making love.

"I can't help but notice that you seemed rather preoccupied today" Argath observed. "Is there something on your mind?" 

"There is" Maja replied, after a moment's silence. "I've been seeing someone."

"That would explain why I haven't seen much of you lately. Is this person male or female?"

"His name is Manfred. We're getting married, in the spring."

Argath stared at Maja, it was the first time the iguana had seen her at a loss.

"Married..." Argath repeated the word, as if she had never heard it before. "Oh, well" she shrugged, "it's not like it will affect our relationship."

"But it does. Don't you see, Gath, once I'm wed to Manfred, I intend to be faithful to him. That means we can no longer be lovers, but I hope we can still be..."

Maja stopped, the look on Argath's face was unlike any she had seen before.

"Don't say 'friends' the dragon snarled. "Don't you dare."

Maja felt that maybe she had better leave. She stood up and was about to head for the door, when Argath grabbed her by the arm.

"I could kill you" the Crown-Princess' voice was soft as she spoke. "Perhaps I should."

"I'll scream" Maja said, a faint tremor in her voice. She did not try to get free of Argath's grip, knowing that it would be futile "Besides, how will you explain my body?"

Argath shrugged.

"Accidents happen, even in bed."

The Two of them stared at each other. Then, Argath relaxed her grip.

"Go" she whispered in a strained voice. "Get out."

With her heart in her throat, Maja left the chamber on unsteady feet. A few months later, she and Manfred were married. Felix hatched from an egg, half a year into their marriage.

****

Now, it should be mentioned that Manfred's parents had died when he was very young and so, he had been raised by an uncle. Said uncle was an official at the Court and as an adult, Manfred worked for him, which kept him away from home, sometimes for days.

Even so, their marriage was a happy one. Whenever he was home, Manfred did everything to make up for his absence, both to his wife and his son. 

Then, one evening, after Felix put to bed, Manfred revealed that he had been chosen to be a part of a diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of Guanaca. The Mission was to be led by Argath.

"And you've accepted?" Maja asked.

"Well, I couldn't exactly refuse a request from the Crown-Princess herself. Besides, it's a great honor to be chosen." Manfred frowned. "I thought you'd be happy for me."

"I am. It's just that, Guanaca is far away. You'll be gone for such a long time."

"I know. If its any consolation, I shall miss you and Felix as much as you'll miss me. Maybe even more."

Maja looked down at her hands. 

"How soon are you leaving?" She asked quietly.

"In three days, though I will spend those days with you."

Three days later, Maja stood in the harbor, lifting up Felix so that he could wave good-bye to his father. Neither husband nor wife knew that this was the last time they would see each other.

Why didn't I stop him from leaving? In the years to come, Maja would ask herself that questions many times.

*****

"Go find your tutor, sweetie" Maja said to Felix, who was tugging at her sleeve.  "I believe its time for your next lesson."

Felix was about to protest, but something in his mother's voice told him that he had better do as he was told. With a quick bow to their Royal guest, he disappeared behind the house.

"An obedient child. And polite too. You've raised him well."

Maja ignored Argath's comment.

"May I ask, Your Highness, to what we owe the honor of this visit?" She asked, as politely as she was able.

Argath made a careful study of her claws.

"Well, I happened to be in the neighborhood, when I was suddenly overcome by a desire to see you again. It's been so long and  during our last time together, I might have overreacted a smidge."

Maja's was aghast. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

Overreacted? She thought. That's one way of putting it.

"Since Your Highness is here I wonder if you would humor your subject by granting a request" she said, after a pregnant pause.

"But, of course" Argath beamed. "Your wish is my command. And all I ask in return is that you call me by name, like you used to."

"As you wish....Argath."

Had Argath been feline, she would have purred.

"Like music to my ears. So, what can I do for you?"

 "There's a question I want to ask you and I want you to swear that you'll tell me truth."

"Have I ever lied to you? Very well", Argath placed one hand on her chest and raised the other. "On my honor as a Princess, I swear to tell you the truth, cross my heart and hope to die. Is that satisfactory."

"It is."

"Glad to hear it. So, what did you want to ask?"

"Why did you choose Manfred to be part of your mission to Guanaca? I can't think of any reason. Unless..."

"Unless I had an ulterior motive. It's true, I did. My plan was to tell your husband about our relationship and how I would like to rekindle it. I figured that if he was open to it, any qualms you had would melt away like ice in the sun."

"You did, did you?"

"Can you honestly tell me that there haven't been moments during all these years when you missed what we used to have?"

Instead of answering Maja, merely looked away.

"Anyway", Argath continued, "it's not as if I wouldn't have been grateful to Manfred. Quite the opposite, I would have given him anything he wanted. Unfortunately, before I had the opportunity to broach the subject with him in private, he left this World. It was all in that letter I sent you, which I'm sure you still remember."

Of course Maja remembered the letter. It had been written in a dry, impersonal style and  the first lines had caused her legs to give out under her.

The Memory of that day made tears come into Maja's eyes. Had she been alone, she would have let them run freely down her cheeks. However, the thought of crying in front of a visitor made her feel embarrassed and so, she wiped them away.

She realized then that Argath was not watching her. Instead, the Crown Princess was looking up at the sky, her hands behind her back. 

"Tell me, Maja" she said. "Did you ever suspect me of having a hand in your husband's death?"

After a moment's hesitation, Maja nodded.

"The Thought did occur to me. After all, you did not take me breaking off our relationship very well."

"True. To be fair, you had just ripped out my heart and stomped on it."

Maja rolled her eyes.

"Please, you were with plenty of other girls while the two of us were together."

"Yes, but there's a difference between them and you, Maja."

"Oh? And what difference is that?"

"You're an intelligent woman, you'll figure it out. As for Manfred, I swear that I had nothing to do with his death. What happened to him was an unfortunate accident, nothing more."

"And what would you have done if he had refused your proposition?"

"I guess we'll never know. Though I don't think he would have. I might not have known Manfred as well as you, but I could tell that in some ways, he was a reptile after my own heart."

Maja could not think of anything to say to that and for a moment, silence reigned on the veranda. Eventually, Argath decided to break it:

"Well" she said jovially, while rubbing her hands together. "This has been nice, but I think I've imposed upon you enough. Farewell, Maja. I shall not ask for a good-bye kiss, but I'll gladly accept one if offered."

She looked hopefully at Maja, but received no response. The Iguana was staring down at her feet, evidently deep in thought. Deciding to take the initiative, Argath went up to Maja and kissed her on the cheek.

The Kiss brought Maja back to reality. Blinking a few times, as if newly awakened, she raised her hand to her face and touched the spot that had been in contact with Argath's lips.

Realizing that she was alone on the veranda, the iguana looked around to see where her visitor had gotten to. She soon spotted her, heading towards the gate, her cape fluttering in the breeze. 

At first, Maja merely stood there and watched as the distance between her and Argath grew. Then, she called out the dragon's name and, as Argath stopped, Maja hurried down to join her.

The Last Goodbye

 From the private journal of Her Royal Highness, Argath. Crown-Princess of Vinoli:

Maja's funeral was held today. As I traveled there, to say my last goodbye, I noticed that the sky was blue and the sun shone brightly. This vexed me; on a day like this, when such a precious life is taken away, the heavens themselves ought to cry with grief. 

As for me, the last time I felt this miserable was when I received news of my brother's death. However, in one way, this one is worse. Unlike Argeron, Maja died of natural causes and, as a consequence, there's no-one I can hold responsible. No-one I can take out my loss on.

Upon arriving at the cemetery, I told Lorenzo to wait in the carriage. At the gates, I was met by Maja's son Felix, his wife Lucinda and their twin sons, who were hiding behind their mother's skirts. Felix took a step forward.

"Thank you for coming, Your Highness" he said and he and the rest of his family all bowed (or, in Lucinda's case, curtsied). "It means a lot."

"Of course" I replied. "My condolences."

I took Felix' and then Lucinda's hands in mine. Their eyes began to fill up with tears and so, did my own. I let the tears flow down my cheeks, figuring that they were the last ones I would ever shed. Eventually, we wiped all our tears away and proceeded towards the small temple, which could be seen not to far away.

This temple was one of those that are not dedicated to a single deity. Instead, various religions and cults take turn making use of it. Maja had been a devotee of the Goddess Vristlar and so, it was one of her priests that would oversee the funeral ceremony. 

Inside the temple, several villagers had gathered to pay their last respects. As soon as we entered, they all rose in their pews. I noticed that my appearance caused something of a stir in their midst, with several of them staring at me. Not that I blame them. On the contrary, I find it to be a natural reaction when in the presence of a superior being.

We went up to the front-row seats. To the right of the altar, I could glimpse Maja's casket. A fine-looking thing, hewn from dark wood. I gave Felix an approving look; here was a son any mother could be proud of. As soon as we were seated, the priest cleared his throat and began his speech. 

It was a pretty good speech, I suppose. The Priest talked at great length about what a fantastic person Maja had been and how much she would missed by those who had known her. From the pews behind me, I could hear sobbing. 

While the priest kept talking, I found myself transported back in time, to when I first met Maja. Although neither Felix nor Lucinda had been born yet, I remember it as though it was yesterday. How did we meet? Well, it all began when King Sharan informed me that he intended to give a ball in the palace...

*****

"Since its springtime, I intend to make this a ball for the youth of Vinoli", said the King. "The ones who represent the future of our nation. Can I count on you to handle the details?"

"Of course, Father" I replied, ever the dutiful daughter. "Leave it all to me."

Anyway, to make a long story short, thanks to my tireless work, the ball was ready to be held at the date the King had set: One month later. The Guests arrived and, having presented their invitations at the front-gate, were allowed to enter the Royal palace itself. Once inside, they were escorted into the throne-room, where the King and I waited for them. 

Once the last guest had arrived, the King gave a speech in which he bid them all welcome, on my behalf and his own and expressed a wish that they would enjoy themselves.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Highness." The Guests replied in chorus. 

The King nodded, a wide smile on his face. He then nodded towards the director of the Royal Orchestra and soon, the throne-room was filled with music.

From my place next to the throne (which I shall one day occupy) I observed our guests. Some of them were mingling together in small groups, others had gone straight for the refreshment table. Lastly, the boldest among them had taken to the dance-floor. It was there that I saw Maja for the first time. She was a vision, never in my life had I seen a lovelier creature. I watched Maja as she twirled across the dance-floor, unable to take my eyes off her. I decided then and there, that she would be mine.

I turned to the King.

"Father, would you mind if I joined in the fun?"

"Of course not, my dear" King Sharan replied. "You go ahead."

I gave a sign to the orchestra, the music stopped, as did the dancing. All eyes were on me and I could tell that the guests were waiting with bated breath to see which one of them would have the privilege of being my partner. 

They did not have to wait long, as I purposefully made my way up to Maja.

"Care to dance?" I asked, holding out my hand, while giving her my most charming smile. 

Naturally, Maja was not going to turn down the daughter of her King. She accepted the hand I offered her and the orchestra began to play again.

As I could tell from when I watched her, Maja was an excellent dancer. We danced for awhile, then headed over to the refreshment table. There, I poured wine from a decanter into two goblets and handed one to Maja.

We toasted (I can't recall to what exactly. Youth, perhaps?) and drank. Once we had emptied our goblets, I asked Maja if she would like a tour of the palace-gardens? She accepted and we headed outside. Either Maja was not used to alcohol, or she had a weak constitution against it, for her face was flushed and she stumbled on the gravel path. Instinctively, she grabbed hold of my arm for support.

"Oh! F-forgive me, Your Highness" she apologized profusely. "I didn't mean to..."

"It's fine" I assured her. "You can lean on me, until you feel better. Say, why don't you tell me about yourself?"

And so, as we walked together, Maja, obviously flattered that someone like me would take an interest in her, talked. At first, I only listened with half an ear, my thoughts were on other things. Namely, the things I would do to her, once I had her in my bedchamber and out of that blue dress she wore. Gradually, however, I realized that I was getting more and more interested in what she was telling me. I confess that this baffled me at first, because I could find nothing in Maja's chatter that I could make use of. I then realized that I enjoyed hearing her voice, simple as that. 

It was then that a thought came to me. 

"Maja" I said, applying some light pressure to her arm to make her stop talking.

"Your Highness?" She asked, looking at me.

"I would like for the two of us to be friends. Would you?"

"I would be deeply honored to have Your Highness's friendship" Maja agreed.

"Good. Now, the first thing I want you to do as my friend is to stop calling me 'Your Highness'. At least when its just the two of us: Call me Argath."

If anyone who knew me had been present, I doubt they would have believed the testimony of their own ears. After all, I have never allowed anyone of my future subjects to call me by my first name. Not even my friends with benefits get that privilege. At most, I can lower myself to allow them to call me 'Princess' rather than 'Your Highness', but that's as far as it goes. 

Why then,  should I grant such a huge privilege to this girl I had just met? Simple, at the time, I could think of no sound more beautiful than that of my own name uttered by Maja's voice. 

She wasted no time in exersising the honor bestowed upon her and the result did not disappoint.

Like music to my ears, I thought. Though I wager it will sound even better when screamed out in a fit of ecstacy.

I was brought back to reality by Maja informing me that her feet was getting tired. We had, in fact, walked a considerable distance. Fortunately, the palace-garden does not suffer from a shortage of benches and so, we picked one out and took possession of it.  Our  bench was located near a bush, the sound of a fountain could be heard coming from somewhere on the other side of it. 

"This is nice" I said, moving closer to Maja. "I don't get many opportunities to just sit down and relax like this."

"Being the Crown-Princess is a lot of responsibility I take it?" Maja asked.

"It is. Why, this place could not function without me."

"Oh? And by 'this place', do you mean the palace or all of Vinoli?"

"Both, of course" I replied.

Apparently, Maja had mistook my most sincere answer for a joke, for she suddenly burst into a fit of laughter. Fueled, no doubt, by the alcohol in her system. 

Normally, I would have taken offense at this kind of behavior and would have devised some way to punish the person responsible. For some reason, though, I found myself unable to get mad at Maja. Instead, her pealing laughter had a contagious effect on me, so that, having listened to it for a few seconds, I soon found myself joining her in her merriment. 

We sat like this for a while, holding on to each other, our bodies shaking with mirth. Until, finally, the laughter subsided. We looked at each other, through glittering eyes and then, Maja leaned forward and kissed me.

It was not a long kiss. In fact, her lips only touched mine for the briefest of moments and yet, it made my inner fire flare up stronger than it ever had before. 

Just then, the voice of Felix called softly to me, through the mists of time, taking me out of the sweet past and back to the dismal present.

*****

"I apologize for disturbing your thoughts, Princess" Felix whispered to me. "I merely thought you would like to know that the ceremony is finished."

I looked around. Indeed, the priest had stopped talking and most of the funeral guests had left their seats and had now formed a line.

"They are about to bid my mother farewell, before she's taken to the family crypt. Would Your Highness like to accompany us there?"

"Unfortunately", I said, having let out a deep sigh, "as much as I would like too, I'm afraid that Royal duty calls and so, I have to decline." I glanced at the line, which was gradually growing shorter. "You will grant me a moment alone with her, will you?" 

"Of course, Princess."

Felix rose and went over to the line. Soon, the temple was emptied of people and I stepped up to the coffin. I looked at Maja, struck by how lifelike she seemed; as though she was merely asleep and could wake up at any moment. 

"Farewell, my love" I whispered into Maja's ear, before touching her lips with my own. 

And so, having said my last farewell, I left the temple to rejoin the others.

*****

While waiting for his mentor to return, Lorenzo had fallen asleep. The Sound of the carriage-door opening caused the young fox to stir and slowly open his one eye

"Welcome back, Princess" he yawned. "How was the funeral?"

Argath said nothing, but merely sat down on the opposite site of her protege and stared down at the carriage-floor.

"Princess, are you alright?" Lorenzo asked, after a moment's hesitation.

Still not receiving an answer, the fox reached up and knocked on the ceiling. The Carriage started to move, beginning its journey back to the capital.

The Reunion

 One day in spring, three friends and companions; a rat, a weasel and a dog, were hanging out together in one of the Vinolian capital's many back-alleys. Although these three were technically not criminals, having never been dragged in front of a Judge and charged with any crime (though there had been times when they had escaped the patrols only by the skin of their teeth), their fingers were among the most nimble to have ever picked a pocket or cut the strings of a purse, that could be found within the city walls. 

Right now, however, the trio had decided to take a break from any criminal activity and instead amuse themselves by playing a game of dice. It was the weasel who had proposed the game and, after having inspected his dice and made sure they were not loaded, the others had agreed. 

They took turns rolling the dice. At this point, the game had been going for awhile. Currently, it was Lucien, the weasel, who held the dice. He turned to Rachel, the rat and asked her to pick a number, but received no reply. 

"Hey, Rach!" He said, tapping her on the shoulder. "Did you fall asleep or something?"

"Sorry" Rachel said, running a paw across her face. "My mind was elsewhere, what is it?"

"Its your turn, pick a number."

"Right. Seven."

Lucien shook the dice and let them roll. The First landed on a five and the second on a three. 

"Too bad" he said, smiling. "I'm afraid that's another coin in to the bank, i.e. me."

Rachel took a coin from the small pile next to her and handed it to the weasel, sighing as she did so.

"Don't take it so hard" he said, as he added the coin to his own pile. "You'll get a chance to win it back."

"It ain't about that" replied Rachel, with a dismissive gesture. "Let's continue with the game. Whose turn is it now?"

The Two males looked at each other, they knew what it meant when their friend behaved this way.

"You were thinking about him again, weren't you?" The Weasel asked, while Bruno, the dog, could only grunt sympathetically, being incapable of speech. Rachel nodded, then stood up and pocketed her money.

"I'm going to go for a walk, I'll see you guys in a bit."

"What about our game?" Lucien asked.

"You guys continue without me."

She left the back-alley, the weasel was about to follow her, but just as he stood up,  Bruno pulled him down, wearing an expression on his face that said more than words.

"Fine" the weasel said, resuming his squatting position on the cobblestones. "Girls" he remarked, spitting into the distance. 

"Orrg?"

"Of course I miss the guy, too, but let's be realistic: Its been over a year, if he's not dead, he's in jail."

"Rrrogr."

"I agree that he was talented, best one of us all, in fact. That was his downfall; he got too big for his breeches. Hubris, they call it. I mean, stealing from a dragon, what was he thinking? Rach even told him that the Royals are off-limits."

"Mmrf."

"Bloody stupid. Anyway, let's continue. It was your turn to bet, I believe. So, what number do you choose? Eleven? Alright. Too bad Rach took her money with her, otherwise we could have used that to gamble with."

The Game continued and the two players soon found themselves so caught up in it, that they did not notice at first, that another person had stepped into the back-alley. 

"Excuse me" said this person, whose voice was coming from above the heads of the players. "Is this a private gambling session, or can anyone join in?"

"Sure, you can join" said Lucien, not taking his eyes off the dice. "As long as you've got money. Just wait a sec, while we..." He paused, uncertain. That voice, he had heard it before. No, it couldn't be...

Slowly, He raised his head and looked up into a face he had never expected to see again. He shook his head, an expletive passed over his lips.

*****

After having wandered around aimlessly for a bit, Rachel came to a bridge. Here, she stopped to gather her thoughts, while staring down into the river, just as a branch from a nearby tree came floating by. She was just about to continue on her walk, when she could hear a familiar voice, calling her name. Turning around, she saw Lucien, making his way through the crowds, heading towards her. 

From his heavy breathing and the way he leaned on the guardrail, it was clear to Rachel that the weasel had been in a hurry to catch up with her.

"What's the matter?" She asked. "Has the Boss sent for us?"

Lucien took a few deep breaths, then shook his head.

"It's him" he said. "He's back."

When she first saw him, Rachel almost couldn't believe that the fox who had appeared in the back-alley was actually Lorenzo. His fur shone with a healthy gloss and had evidently been washed quite recently (was it just her imagination or did she detect a faint smell of lavender in the air?). His clothes, which ran in the colors of green and gray, were evidently of good quality and, finally, he was clearly someone who got three square meals á day, every day. However, as soon as he opened his mouth, any lingering doubts Rachel might have had regarding this fox's identity were dispelled.

"Rach!" He said, baring his white teeth in a wide grin."It's great to see you."

At first, the female rat only stood there, staring at Lorenzo. Then, anger welled up inside of her: That Jerk! How could he just disappear like that and then show up out of nowhere? I...We all thought he was dead!

She raised her left paw high in the air, but Bruno, who had guessed her intentions grabbed her wrist.

"Let me go!" She protested, trying to wriggle her hand free. "I'm only going to slap him once, maybe twice!"

If Lorenzo had been taken aback by Rachel's emotional outburst, he did not show it. Instead, he merely stepped in front of her, with a serious expression on his face.

"Look, Rach" he said, holding up his paws, fingers spread wide. "I understand why you are angry with me. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised that you are the only one. I should have let you know I was alright earlier, but a lot has happened since we last saw each other and I didn't get around to it, until now. Here's an idea; why don't I buy you all dinner? Both as a way of apology and to catch up with you. What do you say?"

Rachel relaxed. After all, deep down, she was happy to see Lorenzo again. Happy and releaved that he was alive and, judging by appearances, thriving. 

"Fine" she said, taking care to sound as though she was granting the fox a huge boon by accepting his offer.

"Great!" Lorenzo rubbed his paws in satisfaction."I know just the place."

*****

The Inn Lorenzo had taken them to was not the first one they had visited, but it was, by a wide margin, the nicest. As they followed the innkeeper to their table, walking on a floor which looked as though it was swept once a day, Rachel and the others noticed that each table-cloth was devoid of stains and that the bar shone, as if it had been recently polished. Lucien let out an impressed whistle and turned to Bruno.

"Check out that knife and fork" he whispered, as they walked past one table. "I bet we'd get a good prize for just one of them. What do you say, shall we try pilfering one set each?"

"Arroog."

"Yeah, you're right, wouldn't want Lorenzo to get into trouble. Let's just relax and enjoy the grub."

Their table was in a corner in the back of the inn, where a few other guests were busy eating their meal. This was the less exclusive part of the establishment, as evidenced by the fact that the cutlery was made out of steel with wooden handles, instead of silver, like that used at the outer tables. 

"We'll have today's lunch" said Lorenzo, as they all sat down. "I'll have beer to that. What do you guys want?"

Deciding to follow the fox's example, the other chose beer as well. 

Today's lunch turned out to be a fish-soup, served with bread and cheese. Smelling the soup, awoke the group's appetite and made them realize how hungry they were. 

"So", Lorenzo said, while dipping a piece of bread into his bowl of soup. "What have you guys been up to since we last saw each other?"

"Oh" Lucien said, cutting a piece of cheese. "Same thing as usual, but what about you? Obviously, you've done well for yourself."

"You can say that again" the fox replied. "I work for Princess Argath now. I'm her protegé."

"Protesh? What's that?" 

"It's kinda like what the three of you are for your boss, except I live in more posh surroundings."

"You live in the palace?" The Weasel leaned forward, eyes shining. "Have you seen the King?"

"Oh, His Majesty and I have exchanged words a few times" Lorenzo said casually. 

In truth, Lorenzo's interactions with King Sharan had been limited to moving out of the King's way whenever they happened to meet at the opposite end of one of the palace's many corridors. "Good day, Your Majesty" he would say and, often, the King would return the greeting with a "Good day, young fellow." However, Lorenzo saw no reason to mention this to his old friends. No need to be specific.

While they ate, he continued to regale the others with stories about life in the palace. It was like a small town within the capital itself, he told them, with hundreds of people working and living within its walls. He also bragged how much his new employer trusted him; "the Princess and I are like that" he said, squeezing his left paw into a fist. 

During all this, Rachel had been in deep thought, only listening with half an ear to Lorenzo's stories. Now, she suddenly put her spoon down.

"Lorenzo" she said, standing up. "I need to talk to you. In private."

"Sure" Lorenzo replied, after a moment of surprise. "Let's go outside. We'll be right back", he told the others.

"So, what's on your mind?" He asked Rachel, once the two of them were standing outside the inn. "You're still not angry with me, I hope?"

Rachel shook her head.

"Exactly how close are you and the Princess?" She asked. "Is she more than just your mentor, I mean?"

At first, Lorenzo wasn't quite sure what Rachel was getting at. Then, it dawned on him. 

"I see" he said, grinning. "You want to know if we..." He whistled and made an obscure gesture.

Rachel only nodded and bit her lower lip.

"Why, Rach" Lorenzo teased. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that you're jealous."

"Just answer the damn question!" Rachel snapped. "Is there something between you two or not?"

Lorenzo almost burst into laughter. 

Oh, Rachel, he thought. If you knew Argath like I do, you wouldn't have asked that question.

With some effort, he composed himself.

"Princess Argath is a remarkable person" he began. "She's taught me a lot, but there's nothing going on between us. Besides, there's only one girl for me."

He took Rachel's paws in his own and brought them to his lips. 

"How gallant" Rachel said. "Is that something you've picked up at your new home?"

"Sure is, I've seen courtiers pay homage to their ladies that way."

"You think I'm a lady? Rachel arched her left eyebrow. "That makes you the first." She snorted derisively, but a pink color suffused her cheeks.

"Believe me, if you were to appear at the court, you'd make all the women there green with envy." 

"Flatterer" Rachel muttered. 

Looking down, she saw a pebble at her feet. She gave it a kick and watched as it rolled out into the street. 

"Lorenzo?"

"Yes?"

"Do you remember that time we kissed?"

"How could I forget? It was a complete disaster."

"Sure was. So, do you want to give it another try?"

"W-what? You mean here? Right now?"

"Sure, why not. You've not turned timid, have you?"

Rachel's teasing words and saucy expression had the indented effect on Lorenzo and he pressed his lips against hers. Her mouth opening slightly to grant him access. 

"I think that went better than last time" he said, once they were done. "Don't you?"

"Well, you didn't accidentally bite my tongue this time. So,yes, a significant improvement" Rachel agreed.

"We had best return to our table, before our friends -and the innkeeper- start believing that we've skipped out on the bill. Besides, you want desert, don't you? Or was the main course enough?"

*****

Desert that day was lemon-cake. Having finished their portions, Lorenzo and the others left the inn. They wandered the streets, with no particular destination in mind, the trio keeping their eyes out for potential marks. Soon, they realized that they had a shadow; Lucien was the first to point it out.

"That lizard has been trailing us ever since we passed by the statue of that poet. You know the one" the weasel whispered. "Should we shake him off?"

By now, their aimless wanderings had taken them into a part of the capital where ramshackle buildings overlooked a narrow, empty street. 

"No" replied Lorenzo. "I'm kind of interested to find out what he wants."

"What if he's dangerous?" Rachel wondered.

"Dangerous?" Lucien said. "Look at the guy; he's walking with a limp. Besides, there are four of us and only one of him."

They stopped. A look of what could be interpreted as gratitude, or perhaps relief, appeared on the lizard's face and he hobbled up to the group.

"You finally decided to stop" he wheezed in a reedy voice. "That's good. Good for me that is. I don't know if my poor feet could take much more of this."

"What can we do for you?" Lorenzo asked coolly. "I warn you, if its money you want, there's none to be had here."

The Lizard shook his head.

"No, no money. I was paid to deliver a message." He pointed at the fox. "To you."

"A message?" Lorenzo was surprised. "What is it?"

"This!"

It all happened in a flash. Before anyone had time to react, the lizard lunged at Lorenzo, driving a long needle into his eye.

Lorenzo could feel the inside of his head explode with a pain more intense than any he had felt before or since. It coursed white-hot through his body and came out of his throat as a howl of pain.

*****

Slowly, Lorenzo opened his eye. At first, his vision was blurry, but soon it became clearer. The Fox sat up in the bed and looked around. His surroundings and the smell of disinfectants told him that he was in a hospital. 

That, and the fact that someone had removed his clothes and dressed him in a gown of sorts.

Rachel and the guys must have brought me here, he deduced to himself. 

He became aware that his sight was partially obscured, by something that covered half his face. He touched that something and realized that it was gauze. 

Just then, a gorilla wearing the white coat that is the uniform of healers and medical professionals everywhere stepped into the room.

"Ah" he said. "Our patient is up. How are you feeling?"

"A bit disoriented" Lorenzo admitted.

The Gorilla nodded.

"That is normal. A side-effect of the anesthetic. It'll pass."

He pulled out a chair and sat down on it.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news, young fellow" he said, with a solemn expression." Your eye was badly damaged. I'm afraid it couldn't be saved."

Lorenzo was not sure what to say to this. What's the appropriate response when someone tells you that you've permanently lost a body-part? He decided to say nothing and only nod, to show the doctor that he had understood what he had just been told.

"My friends?" He asked. "Are they still here?"

"They are. Do you want to see them?"

Lorenzo answered in the affirmative and the doctor walked over to the entrance and made a beckoning gesture. Immediately, Rachel, Lucien and Bruno rushed into the room and swarmed around the sickbed. 

"We were told by the doc about your eye" Rachel said, throwing her arms around Lorenzo's neck. "I'm so sorry for you."

"At least I'm alive" the fox said. "Thanks to you guys. By the way, what happened to the lizard?"

"That bastard got away" Lucien said, bitterly. "I have never seen someone run so fast, almost as if he was an antelope."

"I see, so the limp was fake. Too bad, I would have loved to have a word with him, or better yet, whoever paid him to deliver the message."

"Any idea who it could be?" Rachel asked. "Have you made any enemies at the palace?"

"No, I can't think of anyone."

"But I can!" 

Everyone looked at the direction the new voice had come from. Standing in the doorway was the person to whom Lorenzo had pledged his allegiance. 

Argath strode majestically into the room and stopped by the bed.

"Leave us" she said imperiously, not even looking at the trio. "I wish to speak to my protege in private."

Rachel was just about to say something, but Bruno stopped her with a shake of his head. As the trio left the room, Rachel glared at Argath's back, as though she wanted to burn a hole in it. 

"How did you know I was here, Princess?" Lorenzo asked, as Argath sat down on the chair previously occupied by the Doctor.

"Simple" the dragoness replied. "I gave you the day off, provided that you returned to the palace at sunset. Well, the sun has set and you were nowhere to be found. Since I know that you would never disobey me, I figured that something must have happened to you. I was just about to send people to look for you, when a nurse requested an audience with me. She told me about what had happened to you and, well, here I am."

"Your Highness said that you have an idea who's responsible for this." Lorenzo pointed to his bandages. "If so, tell me. I beg you."

"Think back; a few months ago, the two of us were in the garden, discussing your education. Do you remember?"

Lorenzo thought for a few seconds, then nodded.

"Good" Argath continued, "and do you also remember that you made a witty, but rather disparaging comment about a certain member of the Royal Family?"

"Yes, I also remember that Your Highness found it very amusing."

"I do not deny that. However, I fear that somehow, your witticism must have reached the ears of Prince Thekros, who is not dumber than that he figured out that it referred to him. Rather than sending for you and demanding a formal apology, he decided to pretend as if he was unaware and strike at a later date. Taking his revenge when you least expected it."

Lorenzo stared at the female dragon with an open look of disbelief.

"Oh, don't look so shocked" Argath said, with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "I told you once that my half-brother is a greater scoundrel than all of this country's criminals put together. Remember?"

"Yes, but I thought Your Highness was exaggerating. I know that there's no love lost between you and your brother."

"Half-brother. So, do you still believe that what I said about Thekros was hyperbole?"

Lorenzo said nothing and merely shook his head.

"I thought so. Now, listen to me, Lorenzo: At this moment, you are likely thinking of how to avenge yourself on Thekros. If you have such thoughts, than I order you to forget them and I'll tell you why..."

Argath leaned forward, until she was so close that Lorenzo could feel her hot breath on his face. 

...."Thekros is mine" she continued, in a voice that was hardly more than a whisper. "His life belongs to me. I have already decided on the day that he and everyone else who has wronged me will receive their comeuppance. Don't worry, you shall have a role to play in this, the nature of which I will reveal to you in due time.  However, you are going to have to be patient. Is that clear?"

"As crystal, Your Highness."

"Good." An approving smile appeared on Argath's face, and vanished just as quickly.  "Now, I'm heading back home. I'd take you with me, but the doctor wants to keep you over night for observation. Frankly, your friends should have brought you directly to the palace where our own doctor could have examined you, but I suppose this one is competent enough. I'll see you tomorrow."

With those words, the Princess left. Shortly after her departure, a nurse entered the room.

"My friends, the three who brought me in. Are they still here?" Lorenzo asked.

"I'm afraid not. They had to leave because its not visiting hours. Doctor Marus only let them in to see you because they had been waiting for so long."

"Oh."

The Nurse than asked Lorenzo if he needed something and after he had declined, she, too left, to look after other patients. 

It became a long night for the fox. Alone with the dull, aching sensation that had appeared under his bandages (the effect of the anesthetic was beginning to wear off) and his thoughts. 

His Princess had told him to wait and he would obey  her command, as usual. How long would he have to wait, though? That was the question.

 ****

Twenty Years Later.

"King Sharan is dead."

The Words of the Royal Physician spread like wildfire through the banquet-hall, repeated by everyone who was present. All the guests gathered around their fallen monarch; grief, shock and horror were written on their faces. Concealed behind a pillar, another figure had witnessed the scene that had played out on the events. It was not, however, the King's death that had caught his attention, but that of the King's second son. As Thekros had thrashed on the floor, destroyed by the poison that had entered his body, Lorenzo reached under his eyepatch and smiled with satisfaction.

Siblings

"Mom is going to be fine, isn't she?" Risha asked, turning to her father with a concerned look on her nine-year old face.

"Of course, dear" Jeraddin replied, smiling.

He reached out and ruffled the fur on his daughter's head.

"Rose is with her, she is the best midwife in the district. She helped bring you into the World."

Though he had uttered these words with assurance, Jeraddin was far more worried than he let on. A couple years after the birth of their daughter, he and Nasari had decided to conceive another child. It had ended in a miscarriage and, as a result, Nasari had fallen into a deep depression. Risha had been too young at the time to remember it, but Jeraddin could still vividly recall that dark time in their lives.
Eventually, Nasari had managed to overcome it and life had resumed its normal course and now, their second child was about to be delivered. Though not particularly religious, Jeraddin sent a silent prayer to every deity whose name he could remember that the birth would be a success, not just for the child's sake, but the mother's as well.

"What are you hoping for?" Risha asked suddenly. "A boy or  a girl?"

Jeraddin thought about it for a moment. He loved his daughter; she was the apple of his eye and certainly if his second child turned out to be a girl as well, he would love her just as much.
That said, he could not deny that he was holding out hope for a son. He told Risha as much.

"Yeah, a brother would be fine, I suppose" Risha said in an exaggeratedly casual manner, her shoulders briefly touching her whiskers.

Time passed at a snail's pace. Soon, Risha's eyelids became heavy and she fell asleep. Albert the servant came by to ask if he should take her to her room.

Upon hearing her name, the young girl opened her eyes slightly and shook her head.

"No bed" she muttered, stifling a yawn. "I want to stay here."

Albert turned to his employer for the final decision.

"She can stay" Jeraddin said. "Just a fetch a blanket for her."

Albert left and returned momentarily with a blanket. Thanking him, Jeraddin took the blanket and wrapped it around Risha.

"I have some matters to tend to in the kitchen" the goat said. "I pray that the mistress will have a safe delivery."

"Thank you, Albert" Jeraddin replied warmly. "So do I."

 Having excused himself, Albert left once again. Jeraddin looked at Risha, who was visibly struggling with staying awake.

"Go to sleep" he said.

"Will you wake me when its time?"

"Of course."

At that moment, the sound of a door opening banished any thought of sleep from Risha's mind. She sat up straight in her chair and looked at her father: That was the door to the master bedchamber right now, wasn't it? The Next moment, Rose appeared in the hallway, wiping her paws on a towel.

"How did it go?" Jeraddin asked, rising half-way from his seat, the sweat of trepidation hanging on his brow.

"You can relax, General" the midwife replied. "Everything went well; the baby is born and both he and your wife are doing fine."

Jeraddin breathed a sigh of relief. He was about to ask another question, but Rose anticipated him:

"Yes" she said. "you may go in and see them."

This was all Jeraddin needed to hear. His eyes met his daughter' and then, the two lynxes rushed towards the master bedroom. Rose watched them go, shaking her head in amusement. Then, she sat down in the chair previously occupied by the house's owner, in order to get some well-deserved rest.

******

Nasari was lying in bed, nursing her newborn child, when her husband and daughter came in.

"How do you feel?" Jeraddin inquired, as he and Risha approached the bedside.

"I'm fine" Nasari replied. "Look, Jer, it's our son. Isn't he the most beautiful boy that you've ever seen."

Jerddin leaned down and looked at the tiny bundle that his wife cradled in her arms.

"Incredible" he said, shaking his head in awe. "He is the spitting image of his mother. Its like I'm looking at a tiny, male version of you, dear."

"He has his father's eyes though" Nasari said and turned to her first-born. "Risha, say hello to your brother."

Risha looked at the newcomer. When her parents had told her that she would soon have a little brother or sister, she had been opposed to the idea. Why do they need another one for? She had asked herself. They already have me, am I not enough? Then, as it had a tendency to do; Risha's fertile imagination had begun leading her down an unpleasant path.

"Are you guys tired of me?" She had asked, her voice quivering.

"Oh, sweetie, of course not" Nasari had said, wrapping her arms around her little girl.

"When the baby is here, it will take up most of our time" Jeraddin chimed in. "However, that does not mean we love you any less."

Risha had felt reassured by these words, though she was still not very keen on the idea. Feeling a sting of jealousy at the knowledge that soon, the days when she had a monopoly on her parents' affection would be gone forever.
Well, now that day was here and as she looked down at her brother, Risha could sense any lingering feelings of jealousy disappear. After all, it simply wasn't possibly to be jealous of something so tiny and adorable.

"What are you going to call him?" She asked.

"Well" Nasari said and looked at her husband. "There is a name I've always wanted to give a son, if we ever had one..."

"Any name you decide is fine by me, dear" Jeraddin said magnanimously. "What did you have in mind?"

Nasari looked down at her infant son and smiled.

"Leorin" she said softly.

"Leorin" Jeraddin repeated the name to himself then nodded. "Very well, Leorin it is.

"Welcome to the World, little Leo" Risha said, a smile brightening up her face. "I know you can't understand me, but I'm your sister: My name is Risha."

She leaned in closer and whispered:

"Just wait, when you get older, the two of us are going to have so much fun."

*****

"Leo, what are you doing in my room?"

From the bed he sat on, Leorin looked at his sister. She was standing in the doorway, wrapped in a large towel.

"Hi Sis" he said cheerfully. "The Door was open so I let myself in." He looked around the room. "You have a lot of books here. Have you read all of them?"

"No, Leo, I have not."

"Can you read one of them for me? Please?"

Risha sighed. Normally, she would be more than happy to oblige. Right now, however,she was not in the mood.
Summer was here and Risha had returned home from school for the holidays. She had been out on her daily stroll when the clear summer skies of the past few days, suddenly and without warning, had changed from blue pitch-black and a heavy rain had begun to fall over the roads and fields of the countryside. Risha had returned home completely drenched and all she wanted to do now was change into some dry clothes.
She was just about to tell the hyperactive five-year old who was currently dangling his legs on her bed to get out so she could do that, when her brother piped up again:

"This book looks interesting" he said, brandishing a slim volume that had been lying next to him on the bed.
Risha recognized it immediately; her eyes widened and a pink blush spread across her cheeks.

"Leo" she said, taking a step forward, one paw outstretched. "You better give me that book."

"It was hidden under your mattress" Leorin continued, paying no attention to his sister's demands.
"What was it doing there?"

He flipped the book open on a random page and stared at it with a puzzled look on his face.

"Sis, I don't understand what's going on in this picture. Can you tell me?"

He turned the book around so his sister could see.
Risha's blush assumed a deeper shade of red. She remembered an old story she had read once; it had been about a man who had killed his younger brother and although she knew she could never do anything like that to her own sibling, right now, she felt a deep sympathy for the man in the story.

"If I do, will you please get out?" She asked exasperatedly.

"I will."

"Fine" Risha sighed. "The Tigress was bitten by a snake and her friend is sucking the venom out. There, are you satisfied?"

Leorin seemed to consider this for a moment, then decided that he was and nodded.

"That makes sense" he said. "I'll leave you alone now, Sis."

Risha watched him get out of her bed and walk towards the door. Once she was alone, she opened her wardrobe and changed into a new pair of clothes.
Later, at the dinner-table Leorin turned to his father:

"Dad, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, my boy" Jeraddin replied, putting down his fork. "What is it you want to know?"

"If one of your friends have been bitten by a snake and you have to suck the poison out, does it work better if the two of you are naked?"

"Is something wrong, sweetie?" Nasari asked Risha, who was bent over coughing loudly. "Do you need help?"

She was just about to slap her daughter on the back,  when Risha shook her head.

"I'm fine, Mom" she said, lifting her head up. "I just swallowed some water down the wrong pipe, that's all."

The Visitor

A few hours journey from the Vinolian capital laid an estate of reasonable size. Said estate belonged to a widow, a lady of the reptilian races, by the name of Maja. She lived there with her son, Felix, his tutor and a few servants.

Maja had inherited the estate from her husband Manfred, whom she had met during a visit to one of the capital's bookshops.While there, she had spotted a title she did not recognized by one of her favorite authors. Just as she reached out to grab it, another hand did the same. Maja had turned her head and her eyes had met those of a handsome male of the same species. The Two of them had stuttered a few excuses and had presented at each other. Shortly thereafter, they had left the bookshop together, promising to see each other again. Some months later, their wedding was held and a year afterwards, Felix was born.

Now, it happened that because his parents had died when he was but a child, Manfred had been raised by an uncle, his father's brother. Said uncle was an official at court and he had taken his nephew on as an assistant, an position which Manfred did not relinquish even after he had come of age and even had a family of his own. As a result of this, the young husband and father spent a not inconsiderable amount of time in the capital, away from his home and family.

Did Manfred have any so-called "adventures" while away? Of this, we can only speculate and at any rate, Maja herself did not. She, who had once been a favorite among the capital's ladies, found that she was happy in the country. Her husband left the management of the estate, as well as the raising of their son entirely up to her and whenever he came home, he showered them both with affection.

There were no dark clouds on Maja's sky and the young woman was not about to bring any into existence.

Then, one day, on the sixth year of their marriage, Maja recieved a letter from her other half. It read as followed:

My Darling. I bring you the most interesting news. 

You will remember that last time I was at home, I told you that His Majesty has entrusted his daughter with an important diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of Guanaca and that my uncle had been chosen to be a part of the Princess's entourage on this mission. 
Unfortunately, uncle met with an accident and, as a consequence, is unable to embark on the voyage. Now, this is where the interesting part comes in: A messenger from the palace arrived at uncle's home and told me that I was being summoned to the palace. I quickly changed into my best outfit and headed there. Upon arriving at the palace, I was escorted to a room, whose chief furniture was a desk and two chairs. 

It was not long before the door opened and the Princess herself appeared. She thanked me for coming and bade me sit down. She herself took up her position behind the desk. When she were both seated, the Princess asked after my uncle, how he fared after his accident and so-on. I answered her that he was doing fine under the circumstances. Her Highness then changed the topic of the conversation to be about me. 
It was evident, she told me, that I was a very capable man and that my uncle put a lot of trust in me. Its silly, but receiving such praise from such an exalted person made me blush like a schoolboy.

The Princess then asked me if I would like to take my uncle's place. I must confess that I was on the verge of answering "Yes" immediately. I realized that this would help my career, not to mention that you know that I love to travel. Then, I thought about you and about Felix - the two people I love the most in this world. Its true that my work keeps me away from you, but the capital is not far away and 

I come home whenever I'm able. Guanaca is quite far away though and I don't know when I'll be back. It doesn't feel fair to you if I just head off on some voyage overseas and so, I told the Princess that I was flattered, but that I would like to discuss things with my wife first. Her Highness said she understood and graciously gave me a day off, in order for me to accomplish this purpose.

"However" she told me, "I shall need your answer before the end of the week." 

I thanked her and promised that she would have it. It was at that moment that I recalled hearing that before we began seeing each other, you and the Princess had been friends. With that in mind, I decided to mention your name. Upon hearing it, the Princess frowned, as though she was trying to remember some long-forgotten acquaintance and I thought that perhaps I had been mistaken, but then she nodded to herself.

"Yes" she said, staring into the distance. "I do remember someone with that name."

I was not sure what to say and shortly thereafter, the audience came to an end. I kissed the hand the Princess extended to me and assured her that she would have my answer when I returned to the capital and that regardless of what that answer might be, I was deeply honored to even be considered for such an important job.
I shall see  you both tomorrow. I count the hours until then.

Your Husband, Manfred.

******

The Next day, Manfred returned home as he had promised. He was greeted in the door by Felix, who threw himself into his father's outstretched arms.

"Have you been a good boy?" Manfred asked and Felix nodded.

"Do you have any presents for me?" He asked and a look of disappointment passed briefly over his face when Manfred shook his head.

"Oh, well" the boy said and shrugged his shoulders.

Manfred then put Felix down and embraced his wife, kissing on her the cheek. A tug on his sleeve caused him to look down.

"Dad, will you play with me?" Felix asked.

"In a moment, son" Manfred replied. "I have to talk to your mother first."

Felix accepted this and went out to play by himself in the garden. His parents,for their part, went into the living room and sat down in two armchairs. Almost immediately, the maid; one of two servants living in the house, appeared and Maja told her to serve them some coffee.

The Coffee arrived shortly thereafter, along with a few biscuits that had been found in a cupboard. As they sampled the coffee and the biscuits, the young couple talked about various things: Manfred asked his wife how things had been at home during his absence and he, in his turn, told her the latest news from the capital. Eventually, the conversation arrived at Manfred's letter.

"Its up to you" he said, as he put his cup down on its saucer. "If you don't want me to go, then I'll stay."

Maja closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, it was with a serious look on her face.

"To be honest" she said. "When I first read your letter, there was a part of me that really wanted to say no and I'm glad that you gave me the opportunity to do so, but I do not intend to exercise it."

Maja paused, taking in the sheer look of earnest relief that washed over her spouse's features. Then, she continued:

"I realize that this is a great opportunity for you and as your wife, I made a vow to support you. I just want you to promise me one thing."

"Whatever you want."

Maja leaned over the low glass table, lowering her eyelids seductively.

"Promise that you won't let any of the Guanacan women seduce you. I bet men as handsome as you are in short supply over there."

"I promise, there's no girl who can compete with you any way."

They both leaned forward and soon, their lips touched each other.

"We should tell Felix about this" Maja said, after they were finished. "I just hope he takes it well."

Felix did not take it well.

"Why do you have to leave?" The Boy asked his father, the corner of his lower lip quivering as he posed the question. "I don't want you to leave!" He shouted angrily, stomping his tiny foot and clutching his little fists. Then, he got an idea:

"Take me with you" Felix demanded, his face lit up by the sheer genius of this notion. "Please, father" he begged, getting down on his knees, "I promise I won't cause any trouble."

"Out of the question" Maja said in a firm tone.

Felix looked at his mother with reproach, then turned to his other parent for support.

"Your mother is right, Felix" Manfred agreed, nodding sagely. "You're far too young to undertake such a long journey".

 Seeing that his son looked as if he was about to throw a tantrum, Manfred got down on one knee and caught Felix in a bear hug.

"Listen, son" he said. "If you promise to be good, I'll bring back something for you from Guanaca and when I get home, I'll take a long vacation. I'll spend so much time with you that you'll be sick at the sight of me. Do we have a deal?"

Felix nodded.  He still would have liked to come with his father. After all, he was five years old and not a little kid anymore. He realized however that this was the best offer he would get and that pushing it further might lead to his mother grounding him. Last time, he had been confined to his room for three days and had almost died of boredom. Felix had no desire to go through that again and so, he decided to back down.

The Rest of the day went by in an idyllic fashion: Manfred spent it playing with his son, enjoying dinner in the company of his family and finally, fell into a deep sleep having made love to Maja.
The Next morning, after having breakfast, he embraced the two people he cherished the most and stepped into the carriage which would take him to the capital. Maja and Felix stood on the veranda, watching the carriage and with it, the head of the family, disappear in a cloud of dust.

*****

Days went by, then turned to weeks and before mother and son knew it, two months passed. Two months without them hearing anything from Manfred. Maja was beginning to fear that something had happened to him- She kept her concerns to herself though, not wishing to cause her son any worry.

Then, one day, while Maja was enjoying a book in the library, Felix burst in.

"Mom! Mom!" He called out to her, his face flushed with excitement. "Look what came in the mail coach today!"

With trembling hands, he produced a thick envelope which he handed over to his mother. As she gazed at the envelope, Maja recognized her husband's handwriting and, breathing a sigh of relief, touched the envelope with her lips.

"Open it mom!" Felix insisted. "Hurry! I want to know what dad writes!"

Seeing her son's eagerness, Maja smiled fondly at him. She sat down and Felix took his place on her lap. Once they were both seated comfortably, Maja opened the envelope and took out a letter, which consisted of several pages. She unfolded the first page and began to read:

My Beloved Family.

It is my fervent hope that when this letter reaches you, it finds you both in good health. I am writing this from my room in the palace of King Suluf of Guanaca. My room overlooks a square with a fountain filled with blue water. As I write this letter, servant-girls of all species are busy washing linen in it, the sounds of the cicada's providing the background music....

Maja's reading was abruptly interrupted by Felix yawning loudly.

"This is boring" the boy complained. "Who cares about linen or cicadas? Doesn't the letter say anything interesting?"

"Well, if you just remain quiet and listen, I'm sure we'll arrive at something you'll find interesting, eventually" Maja replied, annoyed at the interruption. "Or perhaps you'd rather go outside and play while I read your father's letter alone."

Felix hurriedly shook his head and promised to be quiet. Satisfied, Maja cleared her throat and resumed her reading:

...Enough about that though, I better write something about our journey to get here. We first left Vinoli in a ship, flying diplomatic colors. This first stage on our journey was quite tedious, the most dramatic thing that happened to me was that I got sea-sick. Thankfully, after only a day's rest I was back on my feet. After four days on the sea, we reached land. Here, we were greeted by a delegation from Suluf, who were to escort us all the way to the gates to his kingdom. 

Thus, we set off; travelling through an arid desert landscape, a hostile sun glaring down at us. We had been provided with clothes that shielded us from the sun and our escorts knew where the oases were located, so we did not lack for water. Nonetheless, the heat was perfectly unbearable! There were times when I thought it would fry my brain like an egg

I was not alone in being bothered by the heat though. In fact, among us, only Her Highness seemed not troubled by it in the slightest. My guess is that her being a dragon might have something to do with it. After all, it seems logical that a race who can breathe fire would be very tolerant towards higher temperatures.

After three days of this, we came to the end journey. My dears, if my writing skills were better I could describe more aptly the sheer joy we felt at staring up at the high white walls surrounding King Suluf's capital. Upon entering the city, we were immediately escorted to the palace and soon found ourselves standing in the large, open throne room. 

As is the custom, we approached the throne with our eyes downcast. Once we had taken twenty steps, we knelt down and pressed our foreheads to the floor. While in that position, I could hear the King and our Princess exchanged greetings. King Shuluf then gave us leave to rise and so, I got my first glimpse of Guanaca's sovereign. 

He is a panther, tall and athletically built. His fur is mostly black, with the occasional streaks of silver here and there and his eyes are green. Seated next to the King, on a smaller and lower throne was his Queen, a fennec whose fur is the color of the sun. I must admit that, I found her fairly attractive. Though, naturally, she can't compare to you.

The Princess then presented the King and Queen with the gifts we had brought with us. After the royal couple had expressed their gratitude. Shortly thereafter, the audience came to an end and we were shown to our quarters. I was grateful for an opportunity to rest after the long journey and to change out of my travelling clothes. Once I had done that, I decided to sit down and compose this letter. 

All that's left for me now is to find someone who is heading for Vinoli and is willing to take it with them. This letter, the first I write from Guanaca, will also be the last one. My further experiences in this country, I shall recount to you both in person.

With all my love, Manfred.

*****

Maja stood in her study, gazing out the window. Outside the rain poured down in torrents, hammering on the roof and windows, like an invading force trying to break in.
What a depressing sight, Maja thought. Oh, well, it won't last forever.

Sighing resignedly, she sat down behind the desk and from its drawer took out a black book, which she opened. It was in this book that Maja noted down everything that needed to be done in the house for the coming month, along with eventual expenses.

A gentle, but audible knock on the door, Maja look up from her writing.

"Enter" she said.

"Excuse me, ma'm" Joanna the maid said, as she stood in the doorway, "but there's a person here to see you."

"To see me?" Maja asked, surprised. "It must be important if they came to see me in this beastly weather. Where are they now?"

Joanna informed her mistress that the visitor was waiting in the kitchen. Maja went there and stood for a moment in the kitchen door, looking at the scene before her: Standing by the fire was an ermine, dressed in a wide-brimmed hat and a travelling cloak. Aside from him, the only other person in the kitchen was the muskrat cook, who was enjoying his siesta; dead to the world around him.
Maja entered the kitchen and upon hearing her footsteps, the visitor turned around.

"Lady Maja" he said, bowing to her, while clutching the brim of his hat. "Thank you for seeing me."

"It is nothing"  Maja replied. "And please, Maja will do just fine. I do not have a title."

The Ermine seemed to ponder this for a second, then shrugged.

"As you wish" he said. "Though in confidence I can say that I've met actual ladies who were less ladylike than you, madame."

"You have traveled far" Maja observed, noticing the mud-stains on the visitor's boots and the dust from the road that clung to his white fur.

"Farther than you know, madame" the visitor replied. "I have traveled across the sea to give you this."

Reaching into the fold of his cloak, the visitor produced an envelope, which he handed to his host.

"You said you traveled across the sea" Maja began and despite her best efforts to remain calm, her voice quivered nervously. "Can I assume than, that you were part of the diplomatic mission to Guanaca"

"You assume correct, madame."

Despite the warmth from the fire, Maja felt a chill run down her spine.

"Tell me" she said, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat. "Has something happened to my husband?"

"Its all in the letter I gave you" the ermine replied, pointing at the envelope in Maja's hand. "The Princess herself wrote it."

For the first time, Maja took a closer look at the envelope and doing so, she noticed that it bore the seal of the Royal family. Her hands trembled.

"I know it must be done, but I dread opening this letter and reading the words. May I ask you to do it in my stead?"

The Ermine nodded and Maja handed him the envelope. With his claws, he broke the seal, took out the letter and began to read out-loud...

****

Upstairs in his room,  Felix was busy amusing himself playing with his toys, when a loud shriek pierced his ears. He immediately recognized his mother's voice and, being the dutiful son that he was, put his toys down and rushed to her aid. Upon arriving at the kitchen, he found his mother lying in a pile on the floor, with the cook, the maid and a third person he did not recognize, knelt beside her.

"Mom!" Felix exclaimed. "What's happened? Who are you?" He added, looking suspiciously at the stranger.

"Do not fret, lad" said the ermine, holding his paws up in the universal gesture for peace. "I am merely a messenger."

"Felix is that you?" Maja asked, her voice faint.

"Yes, mom" Felix replied. "Its me. Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself somewhere?"
Maja lifted her head and looked at her son with tears streaming down her face. Then, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Mom, what is it?" Felix asked, as he was pressed against his mother's breast. "Did something happen?" He asked the question with fear in his voice.

Maja relaxed her grip and put one hand on Felix's shoulder, while its twin caressed his cheek.

"Felix" she began. "It's your father. He...." She paused, mentally gathering the strength required to say what she had to. "He is dead" she finished and on that final word, her voice broke into a sob.

Dead. It was the first time in his life that Felix heard that word and yet, just from the sound of it and the heavy silence that reigned in the kitchen, that it signified something important. Important and awful.

"Does this mean that dad is not coming home?" He asked and his mother nodded.

Felix could not believe it. It seemed unreal to him that his father was gone and would never come back. Suddenly, he felt a curious pain in his chest, such as he had never felt before and tears welled up in his eyes.

*****

A month after the news of Manfred's demise had reached his family, the diplomatic expedition returned home. Their mission had been a success and a friendly relationship had been established between the two kingdoms. As for Manfred, they had not been able to bring his body back with them and so, he was buried there; far from home. Nonetheless, a funeral was held by his widow, so that those who had been close to Manfred could say their good-byes.

The Funeral was attended by a fairly large group of people, including the servants and a few people from court. They had been part of the mission and had come to offer their deceased colleague's widow their condolences. Later on, a few of them would try to replace Manfred in Maja's heart, but to no avail.

From the crown, Maja received a widow's pension, which together with her income from the estate, allowed for her and Felix to live a comfortable life, free of any economic struggles and when the harvest went wrong one year and it looked like the tenants would not be able to pay the rent, Maja gave them a reprieve until times were better and handed out grain that had been stored, so that they and their families wouldn't starve when winter came.

Two years later, on a warm summer's day, Felix was playing in the garden and Maja, having nothing do to, decided to relax by sunbathing on the veranda. Reclining in a sun-chair, she closed her eyes and was just about to drift off to sleep, when a voice whispered in her ear:

"Guess who?"

Maja fell out of her chair in surprise. Picking herself up, her heart doing somersaults in her chest, she stared with saucer-eyes at the person before her, not knowing what to say or do. Just then, Felix came running up to the veranda, his face flush with excitement.

"Mom, mom! Look who's here!" He said, practically bouncing up and down. "Its the Crown Princess!" He added helpfully, in case his mother was not aware of this.

So I see, Maja thought.

She picked herself up off of the ground and turned to the surprise-visitor.

"Your Highness" she said, curtsying. "This is certainly a surprise. Forgive my attire, but I was not expecting company. Especially such exalted company as this."

"Your son wanted to go ahead and announce my arrival, but I convinced him that this would be much more amusing" the Princess replied, while casually twirling the umbrella she used to shield herself from the sun. "And I was right, wasn't I?" She said, turning to Felix.

Felix nodded eagerly, his tiny hands covering his mouth.

"You should have seen your face, mom!" He hollered. "It looked like this!"

He proceeded to contort his face into a series of comically exaggerated expressions.

"Oh, bravo!" The Princess exclaimed, clapping her hands. "Your son really has a gift for mimicry, dear Maja."

Very amusing, Maja thought sarcastically.

She wondered what sort of expression her son would make if she was to announce to him that he was grounded for the next two weeks. Not that she would do that to him. Not for such a petty reason any way, but the mental image cheered her up a bit.

"Your Highness, permit me to go inside and change into a more appropriate attire."

"Well, you can hardly slip into something more comfortable" the Princess replied with a wry grin.
"Go ahead, I'll have young Felix entertain me until you come back. You don't mind do you, Felix?"

Felix shook his head eagerly, flattered by the attention.

Once she was back inside, Maja leaned against the door and took a few deep breaths, in order to calm her nerves. She passed her hand over her face and as she did, the same question as before, kept repeating in her head:

What was Argath doing here? They hadn't spoken to each other in years, not since before she was married.

Maja's mind drifted back to the last time the two of them had talked to each other. Said conversation had taken place in Argath's bedroom, with Maja sitting on the side of the bed, sensing the Princess' gaze on her bare back.

"There is something I need to tell you" she said, as she reached down for her clothes.

"You intend to marry that fellow you've been seing" Argath had replied in a dispassionate voice. "Manuel, something?"

Maja turned around and looked at her lover with eyes that had grown slightly in size.

"It's Manfred and how did you know?"

Argath let out a deep chuckle. She smiled, showing her teeth.

"It is not much that goes on in this city that I do not know about" she said.

Maja felt herself relax.

"To be honest, I am glad that you already knew; I wasn't sure how to tell you."

"Why? Were you perhaps worried that I would be opposed to you tying the knot."

After a moment's hesitation, Maja gave a small, timid nod.

"Silly girl" Argath said.

She edged closer to Maja and wrapped her arms around her, resting her head on the younger woman's bare shoulders.

"You are not my slave, not that we have slaves here in Vinoli. You are free to do as you wish. Besides, there is no reason why our relationship should change, is there?"

Once again, Maja felt her entire being tense up. Something told her that Argath would not take what she was about to hear next as well as she had taken news of the upcoming marriage. And yet, it had to be told. She took a deep breath...

"Argath, you know that I care about you."

"You've never given me cause to doubt that. At least, not until now."

"I will always consider you a friend and treasure these moments we've had together" Maja went on. The Words came slowly out of her mouth, as if she had to force herself to say them. For the first time, she wished that Argath's hands would not touch her, but for some reason, she dared not tell the female dragon to remove them.

"However, once Manfred I are wed, I intend to honor my vows to him. All of this, it will be a thing of the past."

There, she thought. Now it has been said, all I can do now is wait for her reaction.

"A commendable stance" Argath replied. Her voice remained calm, almost aloof. "Still, I ask you to reconsider. Talk it over with your husband; tell him that such an arrangement would benefit him as well, for he would have my eternal gratitude and that, my pet, is worth more than gold."

A part of Maja had to admit that she was tempted by Argath's proposition and yet she knew that she could not agree to it. Even if Manfred did, Maja knew that she would still feel as though she was betraying him and her feelings of guilt would cast a shadow both over her relationship with both him and the Princess.

"I am sorry, Argath", she said and was surprised by the firmness in her voice. "But my decision is made."
Barely had she uttered these words, before a sharp pain in her shoulders caused her to cry out:

"Argath, you are hurting me!" She protested.

"Am I? You must forgive me, I had not noticed."

Argath released her grip and  Maja quickly rose from the bed. She glanced at her shoulders, tiny marks had been made in her skin. In the past, she had heard rumors that the Princess had a cruel streak that sometimes revealed itself. However, Maja had never seen any proof of this. On the contrary, she had always known Argath to be the kindest and most attentive of lovers, which was one reason why she had put off telling her about the marriage. As such, Maja had never put any stock in this rumor, until now.

"I should leave" she said, dressing herself as quickly as she could.

"Yes" Argath said, in a voice that cut like a knife. "You should."

Putting on her shoes, Maja opened the door to the bedchamber and stepped out. She walked through the rooms in which she had spent many an enjoyable moment and realized that she would probably never see these rooms again. The Thought filled her with sadness. Sadness, but also anger.

She could not understand why the Princess had reacted this way. After all, Argath had been alive for almost a century. She had had plenty of lovers before Maja and doubtlessly, some of them had ended up marrying, whether it was men or other women. Besides, there were the servant-girls that made up Argath's personal staff. It was common knowledge that the Princess treated them as her harem and did so, even when she happened to be in a relationship.

So, why did she become so upset when I told her that in the future we could only be friends? Maja wondered. It couldn't be that she...

Her musings were suddenly interrupted by a faint sound emerging from the inner parts of the apartment. It sounded like a wail or a sob. For a moment, Maja felt a twinge of regret and then, she steeled herself and walked out the front door.

She and Argath had not talked to each other since that day. Despite this, Maja had sent a wedding invitation to the Princess. It had been returned, unopened.
Taking this into account, it was no wonder that her husband's letter in which he told her that he had been chosen by Argath to accompany her to Guanaca, had taken Maja by surprise. It had also given her cause to hope that some reconciliation would be possible between them.

Then the tragic news of Manfred's demise had come and just from the reading the letter, Maja could tell that she had been too optimistic. True, the letter was written by Argath, but its contents were strict and formal, offering the customary condolences, but nothing more.

While she had been recalling all this, Maja had headed upstairs to the master bedroom. There, she opened her closet and took out her finest blue dress, she then sat down in front of her mirror and began applying her make-up. When this was done, she headed back downstairs.
Upon coming out on the veranda, Maja was surprised to find that her guest was alone there.

"Your son's tutor came and took him away" Argath said, answering Maja's question before she had had time to say it. She smiled, showing a row of sharp teeth.
"I'm afraid that seeing me talking to his pupil gave the fellow quite a start."

I can imagine, Miranda thought. "Would Your Highness like to come in?" She asked out-loud.

Her Highness did and with a bow, Maja opened the door, allowing Argath to step into the hallway.

****

Maja took the Princess on the same tour that she gave all her guests: Showing her the rooms on the manor's ground-floor; the library with its rich selection of literature, the sitting room and so-on. As they passed through each room, Argath would pause to compliment the decor, or admire a piece of art, which she knew her hostess had picked out personally.
Maja could not help but feel flattered by all this praise, she had forgotten how charming Argath could be when she wanted to. What really made her happy though, was the Princess' remark about her son:

"Felix is a bright young boy. You've done an excellent job raising him"

"Thank you" Maja replied, her heart swelling with satisfaction. "He is my pride and joy."

It then occurred to Maja that her guest might be thirsty and so, she asked if the Princess would like something to drink.

"Well, I am rather parched" Argath replied, massaging her throat for emphasis. "A glass of water would be appreciated. Although..."

This time it was Maja who anticipated what her guest was about to say:

"We do have a wine-cellar" she said with a smile."If Your Highness would go back to the salon and wait there a moment?"

Having spent her life in the corridors of the Royal Palace, Argath had no problem finding her way in the comparatively smaller manor. She had soon reached the salon and made herself comfortable on a red sofa. Soon, Maja returned carrying with her a bottle and two glasses.

"This used to be Your Highness' favorite" she said, showing the label to Argath. "I just remembered that we had a bottle left."

She uncorked the bottle and filled the glasses.

"Here's to our reunion" Maja said as she raised her glass. The Princess did the same, the shadow of a smile on her features.

"To our reunion" she echoed, as their glasses clinked together.

The Wine was excellent,and the two women commented approvingly on its rich taste. Before Maja knew it she had finished her glass and almost immediately, Argath re-filled it for her.

"Your Highness is my guest" Maja protested. "I should be the one serving you."

"I still have some left" Argath said, taking another sip of wine. "By the way, ever since I came here, you've been calling me 'Your Highness'. We used to be on first-name basis, remember?"

Maja nodded.

"Considering our last meeting, I didn't think that we still were."

Argath smiled, her fingers brushed against Maja's knuckles.

"I want us to be. Say my name, like you used to."

Maja smiled back.

"Your wish is my command...Argath."

As the content of the wine bottle dwindled, the atmosphere between Maja and her guest became less and less formal and soon, Manfred's widow found herself stretched out on the couch, resting her head in her former lover's lap. A silence filled the room, then the female dragon spoke:

"Maja?"

"Yes, Argath?"

"Manfred's death, do you blame me for it?"

"I did, at first, I'm sorry to say. Then, I realized that I was being unfair: What happened to Manfred was no-one's fault. It was a tragic accident, nothing more. "I wish you had come to the funeral though, it would have meant a lot."

"I know I should have come and offered you my support, but I wasn't able to. I am sorry, Maja. Truly, I am."

Sitting up, Maja moved herself closer to her guest.

"Its fine" she said. "I forgive you."

"Do you, really?"

Maja nodded.

"If you do, then kiss me."

After a moment's hesitation, Maja reached out and gave Argath a peck on the cheek. The Princess shook her head.

"Come now, Maja" she said. "You know that is not what I meant. Here, let me show you."

With those words, Argath wrapped her arms around Maja and kissed her on the lips. It was deep kiss, of the kind that the two had shared in the pas and it took a few seconds for Maja's brain to register what was happening. As soon as it did, though, she put her hands on Argath's chest and pushed her away.


"W-we shouldn't" she muttered, a hue of red coloring her cheeks.

"Oh? Argath asked, an expression of wry amusement on her face. "And why is that?"

"Argath!" Maja gasped, shocked. "My son is in the house!"

"He is busy with his lessons. I know you want this, don't try do deny it."

"It's just...." Maja began, looking down at her feet. "What if Manfred is watching over me from the afterlife?"

Argath rolled her eyes surreptitiously. Somehow, it had slipped her mind that Maja believed in that sort of thing.

"I'm sure he does" she said in a reassuring voice "and do you know what I believe that he's thinking?"

Maja shook her head.

"I bet that in this moment, Manfred is thinking to himself: How fortunate that my beloved Maja has found someone who will be there for her now that I am no longer able to. Someone who treasures her as much as I do. Someone who will serve her every needs and be there for her and Felix."

"You really think so?"

"I do. After all, you are no more than thirty years old. I doubt your husband wanted you to be alone for the rest of your life."

Maja closed her eyes. A vision appeared in her mind. In it, she stood at a crossroads with both her paths blocked by a naked figure. Standing on the path leading west was Manfred,  smiling at her, his cock standing at full attention. On the eastern path, Argath spread her legs and with a crooked finger, beckoned Maja to join her. Between the two of them, they caused Maja's heart to beat faster. How could she choose between them?

Maja then realized that she had been at this crossroads before. That time, she had chosen Manfred. She had never regretted that choice, but Manfred was gone and although Maja hoped that she would eventually see him again in the after-life, she was not in any hurry to leave this world behind and until that day came, why should she not renew her relationship with the other person she had loved. She opened her eyes and looked at Argath.

"I'm not going to marry you" she said. "I promised myself that after Manfred, I wouldn't remarry."

The Princess' eyes widened in surprise.

"Who said anything about marriage?" She said with an amused look on her face. "No, my dear; as much as I would love to take you to the altar, I am well aware that as heir to the throne, I shall one day have to wed some male in order to produce an heir of my own."

"Well, you could always adopt a child."

"Oh, did you have any in mind? Your own son, perhaps? I'm sorry Maja, for all his undoubted qualities, I'm afraid Felix lacks the most essential requirement for becoming King over Vinoli."

"By essential requirement, you mean being a dragon, am I correct?"

"That is so." The Tone in Argath's voice was almost apologetic. "There must always be a dragon on Vinoli's throne. Of course, I'm sure that Felix will have a seat on the Council when he gets older, but enough talk about the future. Why don't you show me the rest of the house? I know that there's at least one room that I have not seen yet."

Maja rose from her seat and offered Argath her hand.

"My bedroom is upstairs" she said, a warm sensation welling up in her, as she could feel the Princess' hand in her own.

Excerpts

Excerpt 1:

My name is Argath, I am currently Forty-Nine years old. Normally, this would mean that I have long since reached adulthood, but since I'm a dragon and our species age slower, that means I'm still a child. Although, at the risk of being accused of bragging, I've been told that I am very precocious and several guests of my father's have praised my conversational skills and expressed admiration for my knowledge regarding many topics. I do well in all my subjects, but my favorite is history; both the history of my own country and that of others.

Anyway, since I mentioned my father, I thought I should write a bit about each member of my family.
First of all, I should specify that my family is not just any family, but the family that rules the land of Vinoli and have done so for several hundred years, ever since the people of this land first chose my father to become their King.

I admire my father greatly. There are times when the mere thought of being his daughter fills me with pride. I know that I will not inherit the crown, but if I did, I would strive to follow my father's example as a ruler.

I am my father's youngest child, above me there are three brothers. Kheron is the oldest, he was born without the use of his legs and has a frail constitution. What he lacks in stamina though, he more than makes up for in brains. I think he is the most knowledgeable person in the World and although my tutors are without a doubt well worth their pay, I think I've learned more from him than they could teach me.

My second brother is Thekros and here you must forgive me. I know that one should not speak badly of one's own kin, but Thekros, to be perfectly blunt, is a jerk-face. He and father can't seem to be in a room together without arguing and he's always quick with an insult or a remark, which are always carefully chosen to hurt its target the most.

Finally and most importantly, there's my third brother, Argeron.
Unlike my two other brothers, Argeron and I share the same mother. I've heard that that is a extremely rare among dragons, which perhaps account for the strong bond between us.
Of all the members of my family that I care for, Argeron is the one that I feel the closest to. Despite being the third son, my brother has been chosen to be our father's heir. I know he make a great King and I shall be there by his side, supporting him and helping make our country even greater than it already is.

I realize that I have not mentioned my mother and there's a reason for that: I've never met her. She died giving birth to me. Thekros once said that she died of fright when she laid eyes on me (I told you he was a jerk), which earned him a punch on the arm from Argeron. Thekros did not dare to retaliate, for despite being the younger brother, Argeron surprasses him in physical strength.

 I have, however, seen my mother's portrait, painted by one of our nation's finest artists. When I first laid eyes upon the picture, I was not aware of the identity of the woman in it, but I was struck by her beauty and so, I asked Argeron who he was.

"Our mother" he replied and for a brief moment, my brother looked sadder than I had ever seen him.

Then, he smiled and asked if I wanted to know more about her, this woman who had left this World the same moment that I had entered it.

I said yes and so, Argeron began to tell me about our mother. She seems to have been kind, loving person, well liked by everyone. As I listened to my brother, I couldn't help but think that the apple does not fall far from the tree.

Excerpt 2:

I have not been able to write for awhile and the reason is that I have been busy recovering from an injury.

It happened like this: I was walking in the garden, when suddenly I found myself seized by the urge to climb a tree. Thankfully, there is no shortage of trees in the palace garden, the problem was which one should I choose? I finally settled on a majestic chestnut tree, which I decided would prove a sufficient challenge for my prowess. Perhaps I should point out that I was wearing one of my favorite dresses and, not wanting to risk it being snagged on a branch, I took it off and placed it on a nearby bench.

I decided to aim for the very top of the tree. A daunting task, perhaps, but I am quite a skilled tree-climber and so, I began to move towards my goal, digging my claws into the trunk and branches of the tree.

I estimate that I was about the half-way to the top, when I decided to stop for a quick rest. Spying a branch, which seemed sturdy enough, I crawled out on it. That's when the branch snapped.
I can't recall the actual fall, only that one minute I was in the tree and the next I was not. Two of the gardeners found me unconscious and one of them rushed to fetch the Royal Physician.
The result of my escapade? A few broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder,  a concussion and a sprained tail.

Thanks to the skill of our doctor, my injuries are now fully healed and I am back to how I was before. Well, with one exception; my tail is shorter than it was before and has become slightly crooked. I was quite proud of my tail, which was longer than any of my  siblings and the realization that it would never be the way it used to, caused me to shed the first tears I had cried in years.

After I had recuperated fully, my father had me summoned to his study, where he chided me for being so careless and made me promise not to climb anymore trees. I made the promise with ease, this incident has made me lose all taste for tree-climbing. Besides, I've started to become to old for such childish activities anyway.

As for the chestnut, it was discovered that it had been infected with some sort of parasite. My father ordered it to be cut down.