In the corridor outside the secret room, America climbed to her feet slowly. She had come back down to fetch the others, but when she had still been some steps from the door a piercing scream had reached her ears, a scream she had recognized as coming from Chellise. She had jumped forward then, afraid the two prisoners had somehow gotten loose and were torturing the young succubus. Several steps from the door another thought had occurred. What if it was Fenrir that had caused the scream?

  It had made her stop short. Anyone that could challenge Ser Brandis was not to be underestimated, so with the greatest of care she opened the door just a crack. It was well soundproofed when closed, but once cracked open she could hear panting moans from Chellise, somewhat muffled as if they came from around a gag. She could see nothing of the occupants and was on the point of opening the door further when she heard Chellise speak.

  "Th-thank you, Daddy."

  "Do you think you've learned your lesson?" came the response in the unmistakable tones of Fenrir, but the question seemed lighthearted, almost teasing.

  Chellise's answer made a blush explode across America's face. "Yes, but could you lock me up again when you fuck me? I liked how helpless it made me feel."

  The rest of their conversation made it abundantly clear that the scream she had heard was not one of pain, but rather one of orgasmic pleasure. Entranced, she had listened as they had gone for a second round, forgetful of all but the act happening just behind the wooden panel at which she crouched. The sex seemed to st forever, and even when the cries quieted to panting breaths and then dropped below audible hearing, she stayed kneeling there and listening for several minutes.

  Eventually she got to her feet, embarrassingly conscious of a dampness in her undergarments. She wasn't so sheltered that she didn't know what sex was; though a virgin, even she had contrived to fool around a little in her past, and she had been a secret voyeur of hidden trysts once or twice in her earlier years. But what had just passed had been so far beyond anything she had ever seen or experienced that there was no comparison. Muffled gasps by two servants in a secluded corner did not begin to compare to the full-bodied moans that Chellise had given voice to just now, and that wasn't even including when she had come.

  She had always thought that the succubi's voices were beautiful, but the sheer eroticism in Chellise's cries had her questioning whether she might be attracted to women after all. Well, no, not really, but succubi were simply on another level. Even the most vehemently straight woman might find reason to question her sexuality in the face of a succubus' charms.

  More than anything, though, she wanted to experience what could make a woman cry out like that.

  The thought shocked her into an awareness of herself. 'What are you thinking?! Even putting aside that he's a Dark-race, you know nothing about him!'

  But did she not? She knew he loved his followers. She knew that he had been willing to go to great lengths to rescue Lady Cidrin, though why was unclear. She knew that he had been angry beyond description at the way Lord Murtell had treated the elf, and while his cold fury had been genuinely terrifying, he had stopped whipping the man when she had asked him to. She knew Kira, Chellise, and especially Katari would happily walk through fire if he ordered it.

  What she didn't know was why. What was that draw that she had first felt all the way back in Mavenia when they had come face to face and he had tackled her to the ground, holding her spellbound with those enthralling golden eyes of his? She had felt the same draw again several different times tonight. Was it simple animal magnetism? She had to admit that he was very handsome in an exotic kind of way.

  The sudden appearance of Katari shook her from her thoughts and brought a blush of consciousness to her cheeks. Without realizing it she had begun retracing her steps through the passage, and she was already almost at the far end.

  "Ser Brandis sent me to check on you. Is all well?" the scarlet-skinned oni asked, giving America a peculiar look.

  "Oh! Uh, yes, everything's... I was just- I mean, yes, there's no problem," America stammered.

  Katari gave her another peculiar look. "...If you say so. Have you reyed the message to my lord?"

  America blushed further. "...No, not yet."

  "What has kept you?" Katari asked, but when America could find no response, she sighed. "It matters not. Let us go fetch them now."

  "...Okay."

  The unusually timid response from America made Katari gnce at her again in visible confusion, but then something seemed to occur to the oni. "Do not fear my lord. He is most often gentle and kind. The incident with the one who hurt Safara was an exception, and it only rose out of his love for her. He will not harm you."

  Katari's apparent interpretation of America's behavior threw her still further off bance. "I'm not afraid of him," she hastened to expin. "I just..." But words failed her again, and she could only shrug helplessly in response to Katari's inquiring look. How could she expin that the reason she had not reyed her message to Fenrir and the succubi was because she had caught them having the kind of sex she had only ever imagined in her wildest fantasies? It was impossible.

  It was taken out of her hands, however, the instant Katari opened the door and stepped into the room. The oni's nostrils fred at the obvious scent of sex, so strong that even America had no trouble picking it up, and understanding flooded her face. She shot a swift gnce towards the princess which made her blush anew. 'Oh gods, I haven't blushed this much in ages,' America thought, resisting the urge to pat her cheeks in an attempt to calm the heat which suffused them. She was so preoccupied with her own predicament that she almost missed what might have been longing on the oni's face as she turned her face back towards the sofa on which Fenrir was sitting with his back to them, and before she could be sure of what she saw, it was gone.

  His ears had flicked back towards them upon their entrance, so America was unsurprised when he spoke a moment ter. "What is it?"

  "We have made our sweep of the manor, my lord. We have secured various prisoners, and Ser Brandis wishes us to rendezvous in the fat one's study to discuss our next move."

  "Very well." He stood, pausing momentarily to allow Kira and Chellise to climb off his p. America could not help noticing the glow of satisfaction both exhibited, and she began to wonder if her cheeks would ever fade back to their natural color. Bending, he lifted Lady Cidrin, now wrapped in a bnket, gently in his arms and gestured. "Lead the way."

  The princess was quick to do so, anxious to hide her red face. 'How can he be so nonchant about it? He has to know that we know what they've been doing.'

  Behind her, Fenrir had to hide a rueful smile. 'I guess it was too much to hope that we'd be able to hide our activities. Katari was a foregone conclusion with the keenness of her sense of smell, but then she's accustomed to me fucking my succubi on a regur basis. The princess, judging from her reaction, is very much not accustomed to the idea of sex.' He looked her over with God's Eye. 'Ah well. It doesn't look like she's horrified by it so much as just embarrassed. I don't think I have to worry about any major negative consequences.'

  Before they were out of the secret passage, Kira spoke up. "How'd the sweep of the estate go? Any hiccups?"

  America jerked noticeably, but did not hesitate in grasping the subject. "It went well. Lord Murtell sent a messenger to the city upon hearing of the fall of the Mavenia branch of the sver ring, but Myrina made sure he didn't get far. So far as we know, no one else made it off the property. We've captured a company of guards who seem to be in the personal employ of Murtell as well as various servants, including" -she smirked- "an elderly cook who has promised dire vengeance if we mess with her kitchen. She doesn't seem to care about our sudden coup of the estate otherwise. There's also the lord's-" She broke off. Myrina was striding down the hall towards them, a struggling boy of about fifteen dangling by the colr from one hand.

  "Found this one trying to slip out the back way," she reported, eyeing the figure of Safara.

  "A servant?" asked America.

  "Seems that way."

  "Take him and put him with the other prisoners for now, then join us in the study. I assume the rest of our soldiers are still guarding the perimeter of the estate?"

  Myrina nodded a confirmation and left, leaving the rest of them to resume their advance towards the aforementioned study.

  "Here we are." Pulling open one of the many doors which lined the walls of the corridor, America stepped inside, followed by the rest.

  "Ah, good," Brandis said, gncing up from his perusal of the desk which dominated one corner of the room. "I was beginning to worry."

  The princess blushed again, looking away. "I'm sorry I took so long."

  "That's fine; as long as you're alright. So," he straightened to address the new arrivals, "the operation was a resounding success. So far as we're aware not a single person has escaped to alert the rest of the svers in Eldfall of our moves against them, and we now fully control the estate. We've taken as prisoner-"

  America interrupted him. "I've told them about the prisoners, except for the lord's family. Oh, and Myrina discovered a boy trying to slip out of the estate just now; she's putting him with the rest and then she'll join us."

  "Excellent." Brandis gave her a smile, then continued. "The lord's family consists of a wife and daughter, about thirty and eight years of age respectively. This is just the impression I got, but it doesn't appear as though they're aware of Murtell's involvement in the sver ring."

  "Have you found anything reting to the svers in those papers?" Kira asked, gesturing to the desk.

  "Not positively, though I've found a couple of letters which might be in code. But now that we've a few minutes to breathe, I thought that as soon as-" He broke off as Myrina stepped into the room. "Ah, speak of the fae. Now that we're all here, I thought this would be a good time for general expnations, especially in regards to our new guest." He turned his eyes on Fenrir.

  Fenrir smiled and nodded in acquiescence. "Very well. What do you wish to know?"

  "Let's start with how you came to be on the balcony of the princess in the dead of night."

  Fenrir paused for a moment, considering how much to reveal. "I meant no harm. My goal was to discover what I could of the ruler of Mavenia in an attempt to judge whether or not me and mine could be safe in proximity to the nation. If all had gone according to pn, no one in the city would ever have been aware I had ever been there. I got careless, and had the misfortune to have the princess looking in my direction at the precise moment I checked her balcony for an easy entrance to the citadel."

  "And then ter in the alleys?" America questioned.

  "...Another accident," Fenrir admitted.

  "Why did you choose now to reveal yourself, and why in such a manner as you did?" Brandis rejoined.

  The direwolf paused again. "I was... detained for some time. As you have probably guessed from our conversation earlier, I did not personally direct my girls to join forces with you. I stumbled upon both the sver ring and the knowledge that you were hunting them, and mentioned the possibility of using our knowledge of them to gain your trust. As I'm sure you're aware, trust between Light and Dark-races is none too common.

  "Anyway, once Safara was taken they evidently concluded that this was the best way of rescuing her and have spent the intervening time working with you to that end. But I knew nothing of this, so once I finally tracked you down and saw the shackles on their wrists, I'm afraid I jumped to the wrong conclusion." He inclined his head apologetically.

  America made a soft sound of realization. Brandis' brows rexed ever so slightly, but he asked in the same tone, "What is your retion to Lady Cidrin? Why would you care about what happens to her?"

  "She fell in with me soon after I arrived in Mavenia. Of course, she did not immediately trust me, nor I her, but over time we grew fond of each other."

  The veteran knight eyed Fenrir for a long moment. "You are not like any Dark-race I have heard of before. Just what are you?"

  "I am a direwolf."

  "Are there others like you?"

  "It is possible, but if so, I do not know of them." Fenrir was dimly aware of Kira's keen interest in this response, and America made no secret of her curiosity either.

  Brandis nodded slowly. "What do you intend to do from here?"

  "That depends somewhat, but I would like to get back to where I have left the rest of my followers. I am sure they are growing concerned at my continued absence."

  "And you will be taking Kira, Chellise, and Katari with you?"

  "Naturally."

  "And Lady Cidrin?"

  "That depends upon her, but I expect she will wish to accompany me as well."

  "You are aware that she is the only daughter of a powerful elven noble family?"

  "So she has told me."

  "Where are you from?" America interjected.

  Fenrir gnced at her. "I'm afraid I can't answer that question."

  "Can't, or won't?" Brandis asked with a small smile pying about his lips.

  Fenrir gave an answering smile. "Won't. I don't feel comfortable sharing that information. Suffice it to say it is far from here."

  "And what brings you to Mavenia?" Brandis fixed Fenrir with a piercing look.

  "I did not come here entirely by choice, but now that I am here, my goal is only to live in peace, untroubled by and untroubling of any others." Fenrir met Brandis' gaze squarely, and it was the knight's that dropped first.

  "Very well." Brandis spread his hands. "Is there anything you would like to ask us?"

  Fenrir considered. "Not precisely, but there is a request I would like to make."

  "And that is...?"

  "The less people that know about me, the better chance I have of living in peace. Should you and yours avoid mentioning me or my followers to anyone who does not already know about me and caution all who do to silence as well, I would be grateful."

  Brandis nodded. "An understandable request. Very well, we shall do our best to avoid spreading the knowledge of your existence, so long as your future actions do not jeopardize Mavenia or its people."

  Fenrir nodded and stepped back, signaling an end to the interview. Satisfied, at least for the moment, Brandis turned his attention to making pns for the next few days. The direwolf stayed mostly out of it, only chiming in to crify that he did not expect to leave immediately, and he and his followers would stay at least until Safara recovered somewhat. He was still holding the elf in his arms, her slight weight combining with his great strength to make her entirely forgettable as a burden.

  Kira sidled up to him. "So boss, when are you gonna tell us what happened to you?"

  "Later. It's not a tale for untrusted ears."

  She nodded and drifted away. Myrina, who had been standing close by, shot him a look which made Fenrir suspect she had understood some or all of the exchange. He wasn't quite sure what to make of her yet, but he had noticed markers of mutual respect between her and Kira, though nothing intimate enough to be considered friendship. She seemed equally unsure of him, and, though she made efforts to hide it, deeply intrigued as well.

  At the end of about half an hour everyone seemed satisfied with their pns going forward, and Brandis broke up the party. They had decided to stay in the mansion for the next few days while they interrogated their prisoners. Those who were decided innocent of any knowledge of the svers, which Brandis expected to include the greater part of the servants, would be set at liberty to do as they wished, and any others would be held until they could be sent back to Mavenia to join the svers being held there, where a closer examination could take pce. Eventually they would be tried and sentenced.

  The party hoped to get what they needed to dismantle the cell in Eldfall from Lord Murtell, but until they knew more it was useless to try to pn for it, so it now being quite te, Brandis ordered that everyone try to get some rest. From their earlier sweep of the estate, he knew where to find the guest rooms and before they left the study he passed on the knowledge to those who had not joined in the search.

  "My lord, there is a set of apartments which I believe would suit our party best. Would you like to see them?" Katari asked, bowing slightly as she spoke. Her sword once again hung at her side, retrieved by one of the soldiers which had comprised the bulk of the princess' party.

  "Lead the way," Fenrir nodded.

  They were out in the corridor and heading towards the aforementioned suite when Fenrir heard his name called. Turning, he saw America walking towards him, and he motioned the others on ahead. "Go on, I'll catch up. No need to worry about me losing you; a trail as fresh as the one you'll be leaving is as obvious to me as that candle on the wall is to you." His followers did as they were bid, and he patiently waited for America to catch up.

  "May I speak with you for a moment?" she asked, sounding almost shy.

  "Of course. What do you need?"

  "Back when..." America paused as though unsure of how to say what was on her mind. "When you said our second meeting in the alleyway was an accident, you paused, as if you didn't wholly believe what you were saying." She lifted her eyes to his. "Was it truly an accident?"

  Fenrir was silent for a long moment. "It was free of design on my part. I would have preferred to avoid being seen by anybody, especially you after our run-in earlier that evening."

  This reply did not satisfy the princess. "But?"

  "But knowing as I do that the gods do influence our world, I cannot look at the absurdly low chances of us meeting again the way we did without it raising a suspicion in my mind."

  "So you think we were fated to meet?"

  "Fated is a strong word. Several of the gods can be capricious; I would be more inclined to think it a bit of amusement on their part." He was thinking of Carnachias when he spoke; it seemed rather the sort of thing she would do.

  "Well... I would not mind it if we really were fated to meet." This was almost a whisper, and judging by the intense blush which immediately overspread the princess' countenance, she had not meant to say it aloud. "A- Anyway! Good night, Ser Fenrir!" She turned and began walking rapidly away.

  Fenrir watched her for several seconds with an amused smile on his lips. "Nor I, princess, nor I. Good night," he finally said, and turned to go himself. He heard her steps falter as his words reached her ears, but he did not look back, and in a few moments he had turned the corner and was beyond sight.

  He caught up to his girls just as they stopped in front of one of the many doors which lined the corridor. Inside, they found a luxurious apartment with a rge four-poster bed, big enough to be roomy for even the direwolf's massive frame, a sitting area with plush chairs surrounding a low table, and a free-standing screen in one corner to allow for changing clothes in some privacy. It was dark, but Katari had been carrying a candle, and now she hurried about the room lighting other candles.

  Once she had restored an adequate amount of light to the room, she paused and turned to Fenrir. "Is this acceptable, my lord?"

  "I can sleep perfectly comfortably on the bare ground. Do you even need to ask?" His tone was light, teasing.

  Chellise giggled, and Katari bowed wordlessly.

  "Yes, this will do just fine," Fenrir continued. "Now you've all been commendably patient, but I think it's time to satisfy your curiosity." He crossed the room to the bed and id Safara down on it, handling her as though she were made of spun gss. She moaned a little as he settled her atop the bnkets but did not wake. He covered her with an extra bnket before turning back to the rest of his girls, who had taken seats in the sitting area and were waiting for him.

  Taking his own seat, Fenrir began, "When I left you to answer Safara's signal for help, I..."

  He told them everything that had happened to and around him since the st time he had seen them, except for his meetings with the three goddesses. He wasn't entirely sure why he felt he needed to keep it secret, but whenever he considered recounting the events the same almost foreign reluctance rose within him that he had felt when the subject of his origin had come up.

  When he finished there was a long silence. Eventually Kira let out a slow breath. "Whooo, the Archbishop herself. Is there anything you can't do, boss?"

  Fenrir let out a chuckle. "Plenty. Don't start thinking I'm omnipotent or something."

  Kira smirked back at him, but there was a muted awe behind the smile as she did so.

  Katari slipped from her chair and knelt beside Fenrir, facing him. "I am not worthy of serving you, my lord," she said in a voice filled with shame.

  Fenrir straightened to give her his full attention, his face becoming serious. "What makes you say that?"

  "When you were banished, I did not believe you could return. I gave you up for dead. I had no faith in you. I..." She broke off.

  "Look at me."

  Katari did so, though with a marked hesitation.

  "So far as you and I are aware, I am the first to be banished to Apollyon and successfully return. You had no reason to believe I could return. But more importantly, even believing me for all intents and purposes dead, you nonetheless did your best to carry out my will, and even succeeded so far as to put you here on the cusp of rescuing Safara."

  "But were it not for Kira, I would have done nothing to serve you," Katari interrupted. "I would have died by my own hand the same evening you were banished."

  Fenrir's brow furrowed for a moment. "Ah, to avoid becoming Dishonored, yes?" At her nod he continued, "Would have, could have, it matters not. What matters is what you did do. Am I correct in assuming that Kira convinced you to wait, to give me a chance to return? -Then there is nothing wrong with your actions. You allowed yourself to be swayed by good advice from someone you trusted. As I have recently learned, not even the gods are above making mistakes. Part of your duty as my followers is to correct each other when you see each other about to make a mistake, and to accept each other's advice when it seems to be wise.

  "Mark these words, and mark them well." Fenrir straightened further and spoke slowly, giving each word weight. "I am well pleased by your service to me. So far, you have done everything I could ask of you and more besides. Do I make myself clear?"

  Katari bowed almost to the ground. "Yes, my lord." Her voice was half choked by tears.

  "Good." He pced a hand on her head and stroked her hair gently.

  She almost fell against his leg and, resting her head on his knee, practically sobbed, "Thank you, my lord."

  After a quiet moment Fenrir lifted his head to look at Kira and Chellise. "Your turn," he said. "I know the high points already, but I'd like to hear the details of everything that's happened since I st saw you."

  "Sure, boss," Kira replied. Both she and Chellise had been watching Fenrir's exchange with Katari in silent sympathy, and now she straightened, wiping several tears of her own from her eyes. "I had a bad feeling about you going to rescue Safara, so we agreed to send someone to look for you if you weren't back in two hours. You weren't, so..."

  "...And that's when you burst in, looking about ready to kill everyone in the cabin, and, well, you know the rest," Kira finished some time ter.

  Fenrir took a long moment to digest everything Kira, with some help from Chellise, had told him. At st he said, "Excellent work, girls. You all handled that better than I could have hoped for."

  All three flushed with pleasure.

  "Now, though, we had better get to bed. There's only a couple hours before dawn." Fenrir stretched and rose.

  Katari had remained at Fenrir's knee, his hand absentmindedly stroking her hair as he listened to Kira's tale, and now she rather reluctantly stood up as well. "Our rooms are through this door." She stepped towards a door set into the wall opposite the bed.

  "Can we sleep with you, Daddy?" Chellise pleaded, not moving from her seat.

  "Well..." Fenrir wavered. "Sure, but mind your fidgeting. If you hurt Safara I'm kicking you out of bed."

  "Yesss!" Chellise hopped up and hurried towards the bed.

  Kira rose as well, but seeing Katari start on towards the door, she leapt over to grab her arm and drag her back, ignoring her feeble protests. "Don't be silly, you're sleeping with us too. I know you want to."

  Everyone disrobed in preparation for bed, the two succubi doing so with perfect unconcern and Katari glowing like the setting sun as she took her armor off, exposing a chest wrap and simple but becoming panties. The succubi were rather predictably naked beneath their traveling gear.

  Fenrir removed his belt and sash and pced them in easy reach on a bedside table, then y down with one arm cradling Safara. The other was quickly cimed by Kira. Chellise pouted momentarily, then crawled atop Fenrir and y down on his chest, giggling when he chuckled at her approach to solving the problem. Katari hovered for a moment, uncertain, but Kira pulled her down beside her, giving up her own spot to force Katari up against Fenrir. She only gave a devious smile at Katari's renewed and much more vociferous protestations, blocking her in with her own body to ensure the oni could not escape.

  Once everyone was settled in, Fenrir reached over and pinched out the candle fme. Before long the only sound was that of soft breathing as one by one they dropped off to sleep, though Katari took quite a while to rex, sandwiched as she was between Fenrir's side and Kira's naked body.

  TheBestofSome