Volle (16 page)

Welcis found him a very nice silk shirt and a pair of dressy short pants to go with it, and had even remembered Volle’s color preferences; both were a soft lemon yellow. To offset the similarity, Welcis had found a wide cloth belt that was a deep reddish-orange, and he helped Volle tie it around his waist.

Volle studied the end result in the wardrobe mirror. “This looks very nice. Thank you, Welcis.”

“I only regret, sir, that I was not able to locate a suitable cravat to complete the ensemble. For a private dinner, I believe this will be more than adequate, however.”

“I’m sure it will be fine.” He admired himself again. “Let me know when Arrin arrives?”

“As a matter of fact, sir, Mister Villencort is already here. He arrived just as I was returning with your lordship’s clothes. I instructed him to wait in the parlor.”

“Oh! Well, send him in. No, I’ll go out.”

“Yes, sir. I will bring the dinner in fifteen minutes?”

“Excellent.”

“In the meantime, sir, I have taken the liberty of bringing a carafe of wine up from the palace cellars. The occasion seemed to call for wine rather than mead, although as a precaution, I did also bring up a bottle of blackberry mead, which I would be delighted to pour if his lordship wishes.”

“No, no, wine will be perfect, thank you.” He walked past Welcis, through the sitting room where the table had been very nicely set and a subtle hint of lavender filled the air, and into the parlor.

Arrin was sitting in one of the chairs, dressed in his blue tunic and trousers. The tunic looked neat and clean, though, so it was obvious he hadn’t come straight from his office. He stood when Volle entered and bowed, but Volle extended a paw to him.

“None of that, please. This is just a friendly dinner. I don’t want to be a Lord all the time. I find it rather tiring.”

Arrin grinned back and clasped his paw, humor sparkling in his eyes. “It’s a fatigue I wouldn’t mind, to be honest. As you wish, though. Thank you so much for inviting me to dinner.”

“Thank you for accepting.” Volle smiled and sat down. “Dinner will be served soon. In the meantime, can I offer you some wine?” Welcis had entered the room with the carafe of wine and two goblets on a tray.

“Oh, yes. Thank you!” Arrin took a goblet, and Volle took the other. Arrin lifted his. “To my gracious host.”

They drank, and then Volle lifted his goblet. “To my handsome guest.”

Arrin’s ears flicked all the way back, and he smiled shyly before lifting his goblet and drinking. “So, how do you like it here so far, my—host?”

Volle smiled broadly at the other fox. “I’m enjoying myself quite a bit. The people I’ve met have all been very helpful and very friendly. Well, not all…but most.”

Arrin looked as though he wanted to ask who hadn’t been helpful, but he refrained. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“How long have you worked for Lord Alister?”

“Two years now. I like him. He’s a good person to work for.”

“Did you grow up here?”

The fox nodded. “Well, not in the palace. I grew up in Divalia. But my mother worked in the palace laundry, so I was here a lot, and I got a job with the staff when I was fourteen. I served Lord Alister several times, and after he got to know me, he asked for me personally when his old assistant left.” He sat a bit straighter and his ears perked with pride.

“You must be a great help to him.”

“I like to think so.” Arrin tilted his muzzle. “What about you? How did you spend your childhood?”

Volle told him the story about his farm, his embittered mother, his absent father, and the discovery of his birthright. By the time he finished, Welcis had left and returned with a young badger and two trays heaped with platters. They disappeared into the sitting room and returned empty-pawed. The badger left, while Welcis announced grandly, “Dinner is served.”

Volle ushered Arrin into the sitting room before him. The appetizer was several squares of raw fish with a dark sweet glaze and a leafy garnish. Volle found the taste, as usual, lovely.

Arrin looked around the sitting room while taking his first bite. “It looks like you’re making yourself at home here.” He sniffed the air and smiled. “I love the scents you have.”

“Welcis has helped immensely with that. I don’t know what I’d do without him. And he’s only been here two days.”

“Lavender’s one of my favorites.” Arrin smiled shyly again and bent to his appetizer.

“I’ve always liked it.” Volle smiled. Arrin’s shyness was very cute. He ate very delicately, and very properly, too. “So tell me a bit more about yourself. What do you do for fun?”

“Oh, well, I don’t know what there is to tell. I used to play an old beat-up trumpet with a street band, growing up, but I don’t do that anymore. I like going down to the pub, or just spending a quiet evening in the garden talking.” He looked down. “I know that’s not very exciting.”

Volle chuckled softly. “I never knew anyone who played music.”

“Oh, everyone here plays something. The lords, anyway. It’s part of their education.”

“Interesting. I didn’t know that.”

“Most of them don’t do anything with it. There’s a conservatory if you want to play with some of the instruments.”

Volle shook his head. “I’d be afraid of breaking them.”

“Oh, I’d be happy to show you sometime.” Arrin stopped suddenly, and the shyness returned. “That is, I mean, if you’d want.”

“I’ll see how much time I have, but I think I would like that.” Volle smiled. It was probably too early to tell whether there would be much romance, but he thought there would at least be friendship there, once Arrin got over his nervousness. He enjoyed talking to the other fox and so far was finding him interesting enough to want to hear more of.

“What about you? What do you do for fun?”

Caught off guard, Volle flicked his ears. “Well, I like an evening down at the pub, too…I mostly just like spending time with friends. I play darts sometimes, but not very well.” He thought it was probably better not to mention the Jackal’s Staff and like places.

“I could never get the hang of it either.” Arrin smiled as Welcis took their plates away and presented the main course, a long strip of beef with rice and sautéed vegetables.

Volle nodded, and started eating. “So what sort of work do you do for Lord Alister?”

“Oh, I do a lot of filing and paperwork for him. I run around and deliver messages, and help him coordinate palace functions, and help administer palace functions…”

“So you had something to do with the Ermine Dancers?”

Arrin giggled. “Aren’t they tacky? Oh, I’m sorry. They’re really lovely, and good, but they just pander so much. But the King loves them, and the lords won’t say no to an aphrodisiac like that, so…” He chuckled. “They’re popular up north and very hard to get, even for the King. They cost a fortune.”

“Wouldn’t be so bad if they were male,” Volle said lightly.

“Oh, well.” Arrin ducked his head. “I suppose not. There are some groups in the city like that. Not as good, but…” He shrugged. “I guess I never really wanted to see that in public.” He looked up at Volle with some apprehension, as though waiting for approval.

Volle smiled. “Hey, I can understand that. I don’t mind, myself, but private performances are much more enjoyable.”

Arrin’s ears flicked again, and he gave that shy grin that Volle found so cute. “Yeah, I…I think so, too.”

Volle chewed and thought. Probably it was too early to ask if he were a virgin. He was sure Arrin was inexperienced, though. Best to change the subject. “What’s the hardest part of working for Lord Alister?”

“Oh, trying to keep everybody happy.” He replied instantly, ears coming up. “I mean, when it’s the king asking us to set up a banquet, well, that’s easy, everything else gets moved around it. But when there are two lords who both want the services of the kitchen staff on a certain night, or when Lord Tallio wants to hold a fete for his family, visiting for a week, on the same day that Lord Busse wants to assemble the castle to admire some painter he’s discovered, well, it gets delicate.”

“But you manage?”

Arrin nodded. “Lord Alister takes on the really hard cases. Everybody’s always wanting something, but he trusts me more now, so I can take some of that off his paws.” He took another bite, and looked up at Volle. “So what about you? Tell me about the trip here from Ferrenis. I’ve never been out of the city.”

Volle told him about the mountains, about the town of Vinton and what the people were like there, and then about the long journey through the southern plains. Remembering the flowery prose of the book he’d just read, he tried to paint the scenery with the same blush, describing the snow on the mountains (“already?” Arrin asked, “but it’s only fall”) and the silvery track of the river through the plains. He tried to remember what the city had looked like from afar. So much had happened in the last three days that he felt that journey already receding into the past, and was glad to have the chance to relive it with a captive audience.

He finished the story as they were eating dessert, a small golden cake with fruit and a light cream topping. Arrin sighed. “You describe it so beautifully, I could almost see it.”

Volle’s ears slid back, caught off guard by the compliment. “Thanks.” He smiled. “It really is a beautiful country.”

“I’d love to see the mountains sometime.”

“Maybe that can be arranged.” Volle smiled and leaned back, allowing Welcis to clear the last of the plates. “Shall we go back to the parlor? There’s no fire there, but the chairs are a bit more comfortable.” He’d intentionally mentioned the fire so that Arrin could ask where he did have a fire, and having mentioned the bedroom, Volle could invite Arrin in there. Of course, it was still too warm for a heat fire, but a small romantic one would set a nice mood.

Arrin didn’t take the opportunity, though. He just nodded and said, “Certainly.”

They took their wine back into the parlor and relaxed in the upholstered chairs. Volle made a mental note to attempt to get a loveseat in here. Or maybe in the bedroom, by the fire. For a little while longer, they made small talk, and then Arrin set aside his goblet.

“I should leave,” he said apologetically, getting up. “I do have to be up early tomorrow.”

Volle rose as well, trying to keep the disappointment off his muzzle and tail. He walked Arrin to the door, where he grasped one of his paws. “Thank you for coming. I had a lovely time.”

“Oh, I did too.” Their eyes met, and their muzzles were already close. Volle could feel the other fox’s warm breath on his whiskers, and he deliberately brushed his muzzle against Arrin’s. Arrin responded with a nuzzle of his own, and then Volle gave the side of his muzzle a short lick, and Arrin opened his muzzle willingly to Volle’s.

They kissed for a long time, sliding into each other’s arms, and Volle could feel the warmth in Arrin’s chest and the desire, full like his own, pressed into his hip. But when he tried to lead the other fox to his bedroom, Arrin resisted.

“Lord—Volle. I really want to…to take this slow. I like you a lot and I think there could be something between us, but I want a little more romance. I know us males in general just hop into bed with each other, but I think that makes it less special.” He traced a finger along Volle’s cheek ruff, eyes pleading softly. “I’d like to see you again. Would that be okay, still?”

Volle smiled, nodded, and kissed Arrin’s nose. “Certainly. Thanks for telling me. I would love to see you again.” He squeezed the fox’s paw and then let it go.

Arrin smiled back, and his ears perked up. “Maybe in a couple days. Come by and let me know when you’re free.”

“I will. Good night, Arrin.”

“Good night, Volle. And thanks again.” His tail was up and wagging slowly as he left.

Volle grinned and closed the door, heading back to his bedroom. A romantic! Who would’ve thought. All he’d really expected from the evening had been a good lay, but it had turned out to be less than that, and also more. He didn’t feel so bad now about having pleasured himself earlier. Though that kiss had gotten him more than a bit worked up. He didn’t mind so much, though. It was fun to have an interest that didn’t immediately become sexual, and he was looking forward with much anticipation to the next visit from Arrin. He would have to do something nice for him.

In the meantime, there was always “The Ringing Of The Belle.” He dismissed Welcis for the night, stripped his clothes off, and crawled into bed. But he hadn’t gotten through more than the first three pages when he fell asleep, paw on his sheath, a smile on his muzzle.

Chapter 7

Volle went running the next morning with Helfer again, and told him about the date. He came in for a good deal of teasing about the romanticism, as well as the impending dinner with Dereath and the other two. Helfer didn’t know Vanadi, but “he sounds like a real fun time,” he said sarcastically upon hearing of Volle’s meeting him at lunch.

When Volle returned to his chambers after a bath, Welcis informed him that Lord Ullik had been asking him to schedule another appointment. “He seemed most eager, sir.”

I bet he did, Volle thought. “Put him off until next week if you can,” he said. “I’m going to be busy with the tribunal and with other duties, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to see him.” He sighed. “I just need enough time for Ben to get back with those receipts. Hopefully that’ll straighten everything out.”

“I see, sir. Will there be anything else?”

“No thank you, Welcis. I’ll return this evening for the dinner party. Seven, was it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’ll see you then.” He finished dressing and walked quickly through the palace to the main gate, and out into the town. The mention of Ullik had brought a sour taste back to his muzzle, and he suddenly felt confined in the grey stone walls of the palace.

The afternoon was cool and overcast, and not many people wandered the streets. Volle walked in the other direction from the Lonely Cock and Jackal’s Staff; he wanted to explore a bit. The smells of the city reminded him again of Caril and he sighed, a surge of homesickness rising again in him.

From one alley, he caught the whiff of a fried pastry, and his stomach reminded him that he’d skipped lunch. He and Reese had often gone for the fried pastries sold by the small shop outside the Academy and eaten them in the park nearby, which was about all they could do in the half hour break they had for lunch. The memory made him lonely for his friend’s company.

He found the shop, which was run by a small mouse couple, and bought a pastry.“Two coppers, sir.” They weren’t sure of his standing. It was obvious he had money, but his clothes were dirtier than they were accustomed to from the lords of the palace.

As he paid them, he looked around the area. “Is there a park near here?”

“Yes, sir. Just down the alley, take a right on Dragon, left on Walnut, and it’ll be on your right in half a mile.”

“Thanks.” He smiled, waved to them, and walked down the alley.

Many of the shops were familiar to him, but some of the goods they sold were not. He stopped in a store that sold thick wool rugs that he assumed were made from sheep, but when he felt them, the texture was different. Some of the fruit in the fruit stalls was unfamiliar too. But even though some of the smells were different, the texture of the city felt similar enough to that of Caril that his homesickness began to abate somewhat. It helped that the fried pastry smelled very similar to those he was used to.

He found the park and sat down on an empty bench, finished the pastry in a few bites, and leaned back to let the wind ruffle his fur and the scents of the park fill his nose. The grass, the flowers, the trees—the smells weren’t as rich as in the palace garden, but felt somehow more real to him.

“Hello, Volle.”

He snapped upright and almost fell off the bench. Seir was sitting next to him, looking away from him. Downwind, of course.

“Seir!”

“Shh. We shouldn’t be seen together. I just wanted to tell you we’ve set up a regular meeting place and time.” She was whispering, counting on his sharp ears to catch her words.

He sat back, carefully looking in the other direction. He knew her ears were as sharp as his, so he whispered too. “When and where?”

“Every other Rodenday, starting a week from tomorrow. At the Jackal’s Staff.”

He coughed, hiding an exclamation. “How did you know…?”

“Volle, we need a place to meet outside the palace where we can have privacy and where it won’t look suspicious if you go there frequently. I must say, I hope your job is progressing as well as your hobby.”

He remembered then that Seir had been complicit in Reese’s joke, and growled. “You went along with him. I’d have thought you’d be honest with me, at least.”

She chuckled. “Aw, Volle, don’t take it so hard. No harm done. We knew you’d figure it out eventually, though I admit not even Sherr thought you would figure it out as quickly as you have. I guess he just didn’t know your drive.”

“Hmph. Where is Reese, anyway?”

“He went with Ben back to Vinton. Isn’t that what your note said? He figured it was important enough that you wanted him to go along. Wasn’t too happy about it, either.”

“Well, maybe we’re even then. When does he get back?”

He felt her shrug. “Three days there, three back if they hurry. Next Caniday, maybe.”

“Have Ben deliver the note to me personally at the palace, okay? Don’t go to the Exchequer. He’s a slime.”

“That’s a useful bit of information, anyway. All right, I’m going to go. Remember, a week from this Rodenday, at the Jackal’s Staff. Tally will tell you that that wolf you had last time is waiting for you in back. Just go along with it.”

“Tally? Is he one of us?”

Seir snorted. “No, but he knows the value of a gold coin and a closed muzzle. Sherr’s used him before. I think he thinks we’re into some kind of group thing that you don’t want talked about.”

Volle rolled his eyes. “If only. Good to see you, Seir.” When he looked over again, she was gone.

He felt considerably lighter of spirit as he watched the clouds swirl and move over the park, and the people go by beneath them. The feeling was relaxing after the press of people and activity over the last couple days, and it was with some regret that he noticed the gradual darkening of the sky. He got to his feet, stretched, and returned to the palace.

His feeling of well-being lasted exactly as long as it took him to reach his chambers, where Dereath greeted him.

“Oh, I’m glad you’re back!” The rat sprang to his feet and rushed over to Volle. He was wearing the same black vest, black pants, and silver belt as the last time Volle had seen him, and Volle thought, doesn’t he ever change? “I wanted a bit of time alone with you before the dinner.”

Volle tried to step back, but the rat kept pressing forward. “Er…why?”

“See, I know you don’t know the other two people here really well, so I thought I could brief you on them and you’d feel more comfortable with them that way.”

“Oh. Okay.” Volle didn’t know what to say.

“Lord Vanadi, first. He’s a grey fox, just became a Lord a year and a half ago when his father died of whitemouth, so don’t mention diseases. His mother died in the same epidemic, and that’s actually how his father died, he went home to be with her and caught it himself. All very sad. Now, he’s very religious, goes to church every day, not just on Gaiaday. So don’t speak ill of the church. I don’t know if you would, but you probably shouldn’t. He’s got a prospective wife back home and a mistress here in town. Her name is Charmaine and she’s a goat.” He snorted. “Takes all kinds, I guess. I don’t think that’ll come up, but you know it in case it does.”

“Wait, wait, what is this?” Volle backed away, paws out.

“Information. Just from Lord Fardew’s files. Now, the functionary is a young coyote. Her name is Llana. Don’t have as much on her. She’s not a Lord, you know. But she does have a
bit
of a weight problem, and her father works in the stables here in the palace, so…”

“Hold on, hold on! I don’t need to know this.”

Dereath looked hurt, but shrugged. “I just thought it’d help.”

An idea occurred to Volle. “What’s in those files on me?”

“Nothing much…yet. Your father was killed in a border skirmish, you grew up in Merinland, you like males, wine, and yellow clothes. And you have a great body.” He grinned. “Okay, that last part is just in my files.”

Volle eyed the rat. “And what’s in your file?”

“Oh, maybe if the evening goes well you’ll get to see my file in its entirety.” Dereath was standing close to him again, and his strange scent reached Volle’s nostrils. His nose reached just to Volle’s collarbone, and it was pressed there now, snuffling in his fur.

“We’ll see,” Volle said, turning away. “Can you really get to all the files?”

“He keeps some locked up, but I can get to most of them. I can’t see the one on the King, if that’s what you want to know. You wouldn’t want to read that. He’s boring anyway. Devoted to his wife, no secret vices.” The rat giggled.

“Could you get me information about anyone I was about to meet with? Like the Exchequer?”

Dereath pressed up again, half-lidding his eyes in what he probably thought was a sultry look, but which made Volle think he was about to fall asleep. Nonetheless, the want in his eyes was unmistakable. “I might. It would depend on how grateful you were for it. Not the Exchequer, though. He’s one of the locked ones. Pity, too. I bet he’d be interesting reading. Why you interested in him?”

Volle explained as briefly as possible his situation. Dereath’s eyes glittered. “Ah, that Ullik. You can always check the books, you know. He’d have every entry in there labeled and dated. Every Lord is supposed to be able to see the account of his holdings, just not of any others.”

“I might as well wait until I have my own proof now, in case he’d falsify a book or something.”

“Oh, he wouldn’t do that. He’s—”

Welcis interrupted them. “Excuse me sir. Miss Llana Drosian.” Behind him, a timid-looking coyote stepped into the room, wearing a blue lace-trimmed dress. She stood and looked at Volle, then at Dereath, then back at Volle.

“Good evening, Miss Drosian, and thank you for attending.” Volle took her paw and bowed, touching his nose to it.

She giggled softly and curtsied. “My pleasure, sir.”

They talked awkwardly for a few minutes, during which Volle learned that Llana was an assistant to the head of staff for the palace. When Lord Vanadi arrived, he greeted them all with a warm smile, and shook paws all around.

The dinner was as superb as all the others had been, the conversation somewhat less so. Volle found himself encouraging Lord Vanadi to talk, because Llana was too shy to do more than giggle, and Dereath kept talking directly to him. Not only did Volle generally want to discourage that, it excluded the others from the conversation. So his recollection of the dinner later was largely of Lord Vanadi saying things like:

“If you read the Books of Panbestia—and I mean all of them, not just the one of your House—you begin to see a pattern that really puts a new light on the actions we take every single day. Really, the other people we interact with are all parts of the same glorious whole, and when I really started to appreciate that was when I read the Books, with a group of youngsters of other species. We all grow up in our separate worlds, and that’s a necessary stage, but if we’re to mature into the holy beings that Gaia intends us to, we must at some point achieve an awareness of the other branches of the tree of life from which we came.”

To which Volle usually nodded and smiled and ate another bite of food, ignoring Dereath’s attempts to catch his eye.

Mercifully, the dinner came to an end, though Volle could have sworn it took twice as long as it had the previous night. Lord Vanadi said his goodbyes with the smile of the oblivious, and Llana followed him out. Volle waited for Dereath to follow them, but the rat shut the door, remaining inside.

“Good heavens, I thought they’d never go,” he said. Volle could smell the wine on his breath and noted that he’d had several refills over the course of the dinner. “Hasn’t that fox ever heard that too much of a good thing spoils it? Church is fine, once a week, but I certainly don’t want it at the dinner table.”

Though Volle agreed with him in principle, he didn’t feel like discussing it. “You know, I do have to get up early for the tribunal tomorrow…”

“Oh, don’t be a pill, Volle.” Dereath seemed to savor the sound of his name. “Tribunal’s not ‘til the afternoon. You have plenty of time to go for a run with Lord Ikling and make it to the tribunal in time. I’m feeling a bit chilly. Where’s the fireplace?”

He went back into the sitting room before Volle could stop him. Volle went after him, but he’d already made it into the bedroom. Volle found him in there, regarding the cold fireplace sadly. “I guess you’ve got thicker fur,” he said, wrapping his arms around himself, though Volle thought the room was very comfortable. “There must be some way I can get warm in here.”

Volle ignored the sly look and walked in, leaving the door open. “Listen, I really am tired.”

“It’s okay. We can lie down if you want.” Dereath sat on the bed and lay back, letting his vest fall open. “Oh, don’t look at me like that. You were interested enough in me earlier, when I was telling you things.” His voice had a sad overtone to it.

“I appreciated the information, but really, it’s been a long day.”

Dereath shook his head. “You shouldn’t lie to me, Volle. I know things. I know that you just went out and walked around town today.”

Suddenly, Volle was seized with the fear that Dereath had seen him talking to Seir. “Oh? Where did I go, then?”

Dereath shrugged. “Out. No big deal. Get to know the town, it’s a nice town.” He smiled. “Or I could save you time. I can tell you all about it—where the good restaurants are, where the good plays are, even where you can get some good ass cheaper than at a brothel.”