Volle (39 page)

“Too late for that, buddy. Think I have a chance with Mariana?”

“Not really. Maybe you should try the servants.”

“Hey, if I wanted to date trash, I’d have asked you out long ago.”

Volle shook his head, chuckling. “Good luck with Mariana. You here alone?”

“Yep. Tella drove me and is going to pick me up. She didn’t want to come in.” He smoothed down his green velvet doublet, which he was wearing over a nice-looking white linen shirt. “I think she just didn’t have the clothes for it.”

“If I don’t get to see her, say hi for me.”

“Will do. Congratulations, by the way. I always knew you’d go straight in the end.”

“Depends whose end you’re talking about.” Volle smiled and strode off to sit with Tish, now that the black wolf was done dancing with Tika.

“Enjoying yourself?” the wolf asked as Volle sat down.

“I am, yes, thank you,” Volle said. “And thank you for all you did to arrange this. Ilyana’s very happy.”

“Who’s that hare you were talking to? Friend of yours?”

Volle shook his head. “I was just trying to warn him off Helfer. But I was wondering if he even knows Ilyana. He didn’t go up and congratulate her.”

Tish shrugged. “Could be a friend of a friend. Tika did want to make sure we had enough people here to make it impressive. I’m sure word got around.”

“Well, that’s probably it, then.” Volle scratched his muzzle and watched Ilyana dancing with a coyote he didn’t know.

“Food will be served in a little while.” Tish patted his stomach. “I’m starving.”

“Me too.” Volle stopped watching the coyote and leaned back. “I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to eat, but it wasn’t that bad.”

“You did well,” Tish said. “I know you have reservations, but trust me. This will all work out for the best.”

“I think you just might be right.”

The food, when it came, was delicious, easily up to the standards of the palace. Volle suspected that Tika had procured the services of some of the palace cooks, but she wouldn’t say, just smiled at the compliments. Ilyana and her parents devoured the Cornish hen appetizers, which were the one thing Volle didn’t feel measured up to the palaces; they seemed too salty to him. Ilyana’s family ate more daintily when the main course of roast leg of lamb arrived, surrounded by beans, the whole thing covered in a red wine sauce. Volle found the lamb slightly more to his tastes, but he supposed the Cornish hens at the palace had spoiled him.

Tish and Tika ate with their usual enthusiasm, as did Helfer, but Volle spotted Reese picking unhappily at the lamb and eating only the beans out of his plate. Serve him right, coming to a carnivore’s event.

Ilyana couldn’t stop her tail from wagging throughout the dinner. She kept saying things to Volle like “Isn’t the music wonderful?” and “See Tarina there? She’s been staring at my dress all night. She’s so jealous.” and “This food is amazing.” He smiled at each of the comments and agreed with her, and at the end of the meal, she kissed his cheek and said, “Thank you so much.”

He nuzzled back and smiled. “You deserve it,” he said. “I’m happy to be here with you.”

Her muzzle moved closer to his ear, and she whispered, “After a few dances, I want to show you something upstairs.”

His ear flicked, and he looked at her with some surprise, but she just smiled and turned to her parents. She can’t have meant what he thought she meant. He could tell she wasn’t in season, for one thing. She must have some fond memories of the house that she wanted to share, or maybe there was something interesting in another room that she wanted to show him. He shook his head and found Tish looking at him with a smile.

“What?”

“You look confused.” He patted Volle’s shoulder. “What’s the matter?”

Volle shook his head. “Nothing.” He smiled. “How long do we have to stick around now?”

“Well, you should do one more dance after dinner, when everyone’s had a chance to digest their food. After that, you can leave if you want, but I would hope you’d stay for Ilyana’s sake for a bit longer.”

“Oh, I will. She wants to show me the house, I think.”

“It’s an interesting one,” Tish said. “This is the nicest room, of course, but there are some antiques around that are worth a look. I didn’t know she was interested in that sort of thing.”

“I didn’t either, but an interest in the arts is a nice sign.” People were starting to get up following the meal, and Volle spotted Helfer looking at him. “I think I’m going to go talk to Helfer for a bit. Please excuse me?”

Tish waved him on, so he got up, said “I’ll be right back,” to Ilyana, and walked over to where Helfer and two young female wolves were sitting and talking.

The wolves giggled as he came up. They smelled like sisters, at least as much as he could distinguish their scents in the crowd. “What about his, ladies?”

“Oh, nicest one yet!”

“Definitely!” The two wolves giggled.

“Dare I ask?” Volle sat down at the table.

“We need to go.” The two wolves rose at almost the same moment. “But it was so nice to meet you, Lord Ikling.”

Helfer grinned and waved a paw lazily. “Thank you for the company, ladies. Good luck with your fiancés.”

“Thanks for the advice!” the other wolf said as they wandered away.

“What was that all about?”

“Oh, they were having some man trouble, so I gave them some advice.” He chuckled. “They agreed that you have the nicest tail at the cotillion.”

“Tail, eh?” Volle grinned. “Well, I appreciate it. I wanted to thank you again for coming. Is it going to be a tougher ride now the snow’s fallen?”

“No. Just colder. Less risk of bandits.”

“Oh.” Volle remembered what Tish had told him about Helfer’s father being killed by bandits, and didn’t know what else to say. “If you need anything for the trip, let me know.”

“You could give me my books back. About time you got your own anyway.”

“Done.” Volle chuckled. “It was pretty boring running without you these last couple days. Did you just hide in your room?”

Helfer nodded. “Took meals there and all. Tish helped. I think he wanted to give you a nice surprise, and I did too. I know this is a stressful thing you’re doing, but really, it won’t be that bad.”

“I know.” Volle sighed. “I just feel like a fraud, you know? Going through all this like we’re going to be in love forever. I like her a lot, but I don’t feel anything, you know? No excitement, nothing.”

“Well,” Helfer said logically, “that would be because you’re gay. Volle, she knows that and it’s fine.”

“No matter how many times people tell me that, it doesn’t make me feel any better. I still feel like she’s going to expect more from me.”

Helfer patted his paw. “They always will. But you’re not leading her on. Just remember that.”

“All right.” He grinned and scanned the crowd. “Any luck here?”

“I can’t tell,” Helfer complained. “The only ones who want to talk to me are the females. Which is fine, you know, but I’d rather talk to someone I can go home with.”

“Not many rabbits here.”

“No. Maybe I’ll just go visit the Lonely Cock tonight.”

“You can go now if you want. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be here.”

“Oh? Going to get a little courting action in?”

Volle snorted, but then it occurred to him that Helfer might be right. “I hope not. It’s Ilyana’s day, and she wants to show me the house, so I’ll go along with whatever she wants. I think it’s too early for that, anyway. She’s not in season yet.”

“You never know with these vixens.” Helfer chuckled and got up, and Volle got up with him. “I think I will go, if you’re sure it’s okay. But I’ll be around tomorrow to run with you. Should be fun in the snow.”

“Great. See you then. Thanks again, Hef.”

“Anytime.” They embraced, and the weasel left, blowing kisses to the wolf sisters as he passed them.

A few other people were drifting out, and Reese intercepted Volle on his way back to the table. “Tella’s back,” he said. “Or will be soon. I’ll see you at the meeting in a couple days, okay?”

“Okay. Say hi to everyone for me.”

“Will do.” Reese shook his paw and slipped out the door as well.

Volle made it back to the large table, but no sooner had he sat down than Ilyana was tugging him up, back to the dance floor. The music had started again, and a few couples were already dancing. Volle went along with her, reminding himself that it was her day, and put his arm around her, leading her into the waltz that the trio was now playing. He stumbled once, but caught himself and hoped nobody had noticed.

They remained out on the floor for the next number, going back to the more common dance steps, for which Volle was grateful. He finished a couple more dances, and then Ilyana tugged him back to the table to pay their respects to Tish and Tika.

“I want to show Lord Vinton the upstairs.” Ilyana smiled, her tail still wagging. Volle didn’t think he’d seen it stop the whole evening. “Thank you both for coming, and for everything you’ve done. I hope someday I can find a way to repay you.”

“Just live a healthy, prosperous life,” Tish said.

“And have healthy cubs,” Tika added with a smile. “We’re happy to be part of this, dears. Go on now, have a good time.”

Ilyana grasped Volle’s paw and curtsied. “Thank you!” Volle bowed quickly as she tugged him out the door.

“I’m surprised you’re so anxious to leave your party.” He followed her along the hallway to the stairs.

“Oh, I’ve talked to everyone there now, and it’s more or less over already.”

“You’re right about that.” Volle looked over his shoulder and saw more people leaving. “I think people are worried about the snow.”

“I thought they would be.” She let go of him to mount the stairs, but kept checking to see that he was following.

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” He grinned and sprang up after her.

“Here, it’s down the hall here, I think. This door.” She pushed open a door, letting Volle into the room before slipping in after him and closing the door.

The room, he saw, was about the size of his bedroom in the palace, or maybe he was reminded of his bedroom because this room was dominated by a large four-poster bed. No portraits hung on the walls, and although the windows were diamond-paned like the ones below, these were grimy and cracked. The room was chilly, and it didn’t look like there was a fireplace to heat it.

“What did you want to show me?” He rubbed his paws together.

She walked over to him and clasped her paws around his. “Chilly?”

“Just the pads. Not too bad.” He looked around the room.

“Maybe I can warm you up a bit.” He had his back to the bed, and as she stepped forward and pressed a paw against his pants, he stepped backwards and ended up sitting on the bed, crushing his tail.

“Wait, what…?” But she was pressed up against him already, her muzzle seeking out his. “I thought …you’re not in seasonmmmf.”

She held the kiss and then broke it, her paws questing inside his pants. “I know,” she said softly. “But I wanted to get some practice in. You don’t mind, do you?”

Her expression made him hesitate. “Mmmf. I…” But she was already on top of him, pushing him back until he was lying on the bed, her paws undoing some of the fastenings at his pants. He made a feeble attempt to stop her, but he didn’t think she even noticed.

Her paws found his sheath and circled it, rubbing a little roughly. “There.” She smiled at him. “That’s not so bad, is it? Not so different?”

Except that he wasn’t aroused at all. Oh, his body was responding to the touch, but the scent, the feel, and the mental part that was so important to him was completely absent. He considered asking her to stop again, but then thought that maybe he needed some practice too. If he came, this time, it wouldn’t result in cubs.

Gently, he reached up and caressed her chest. She lifted her muzzle and panted softly, and he saw that her other paw was busy under her dress. “You don’t have to do that,” she said softly. “I’ll do the work.”

“I want you to enjoy it.” His paws felt the rounded shape of her chest. He had never been with a vixen, or any female, before. He did know what to expect, from Reese’s stories (and others), and as he brushed her nipples through her clothes, he felt her shiver.

“I’m enjoying that,” she panted. Her paw had brought him mostly out of his sheath, and now she smiled down and straddled him, spreading out her dress to cover him.

“Have you…done this before?” He couldn’t think of a delicate way to ask the question, and so just blurted it out.

Her ears flicked, and her smile faded for a moment before returning. “I know what I’m doing,” she said softly. “That’s all I’ll admit to.” She lowered herself slowly and guided him up into her.

He felt warmth around his member, not as tight as the tail holes he was used to, but slick even without any creams. He moved easily into her, and she gasped as he slid all the way up. “Oh!”

His paws moved down to her hips and held her there, letting her lever herself up and down on his shaft. She moved slowly at first, lifting her whole body up and down. Volle found that just lying there, letting her move on him, he didn’t get very aroused at all. Enough to stay hard, apparently, because she started pumping faster, now moving just her hips up and down. His knot swelled a bit as she rubbed up and down his length, but not nearly as quickly as it did when he was with a male. Her scent was getting stronger, and even if he closed his eyes and pretended she was Richy, his nose told him differently.