This is a story based on Flute's starter zolnixi, Seh, and a few of the females I've been designing for Flute's Make me a mate! contest. Since this will be a romance, I'm going to say that the story is rated M or R, just to be safe and allow me room to play with it wherever it goes.

I'm thinking abut making them anthropomorphized sylesties. This means that they are bipeds, with hands similar to humans, but have pads on the palms. This is mainly because of an issue I've always had with shows like My Little Pony: How can they build things and pick things up with only hooves and mouths?!? But I like the imagery of them looking just as they are, so I'll leave it like this for now and maybe anthro it later.

Here's an example of an anthro fox so you can better visualize the characters


You get the idea.

So they would wear clothes sometimes, and other times they wouldn't, since they're covered in fur.

I plan on updating with a chapter every Saturday, but sometimes I may skip a weekend or two.

Characters from Flute's contest (I may add more as the story continues):

Seh:

Seh is my [Flute's] starter Zolnixi. c: When I first came across Sylestia, I had no real idea as to who my companion should be or represent. I worked off of what I knew -- I liked gold, and what goes well with gold is a leathery brown and some white. Several boys in my past have a favorite color of red, and so those were the colors of his talismans. The boy looked so proud, so loyal, and those are admirable qualities I like in a partner companion, and so, Seh was born.

His personality? You can say he's a bit aloof. He's pretty straightforward about business, and doesn't want to waste time or effort when he can avoid it. Forever the tank character in my exploring party, he is durable and agile, yet smart about all his actions. He prefers to rest, having no stress or worries to weigh him down, and as such, would either like to be alone or with mature sylesti. However, people of his type always seem to attract the mischievous, no? Such cheerful and energetic figures tire him out, but this doesn't mean he's a cranky old fox that hates people and pet...just that he'd rather get through with it and go back to relaxing.

Un-named(for now):

She wasn't bad, per se; stealing was just far too much fun to ever even consider walking away from it. And besides, wasn't she the perfect thief? Ever since she had nicked her first quarter on a dare (goodness me, silly adventurers should watch their pockets more carefully when they're wandering about in the lawless woods!), and experienced the thrill of a crime well-executed, she's been a repeat offender. And, of course, had long moved on from nicked quarters.

It was night and the moon was dark, perfect for the heist she had planned. A young shaman-prince had just come to her city with the most sparkly, reeking of magic talisman she had ever encountered. She wanted that talisman-no, she had to have that talisman. Her paws itched just looking at it. And stealing from a prince, a shaman no less? That was certainly one for the record books.


Art by Dundee!

Note:Just bred a girl who looks almost exactly like I designed the thief:


Her tan body is a little lighter than I would have liked and the brown is a little redder, but I figure that this is within the range of the swing the generator can give. I may change the thief to look like her and name her when I reveal the thief's name.

Renara:

She was refined, calm, cool and collected. A velveted claw, just as she had been trained from a young kit, when she was first chosen by the Elder to become the Spirit of her people. But now here she was practically commanded to grovel for peace with some hidebound foreigner! Her people had been engaged in a semi-war with his for generations, but now her Futuresight had told her was the time to broker peace. Peace?!? Seriously?!? With these heathens who had been slaying her people! When her people were finally winning! Arrrggghhhhh!!!!

And breathe. Allow the Life Force to enter, suffuse your being, and remove the anger. Be a calm, crystal lake. With roiling piranhas underneath.

She hadn't met this hidebound official yet, but she had observed him and his extensive entourage yesterday when they entered the city (and felt just slightly satisfied that hers was larger). She just knew that he was going to to be some elderly, wrinkled zolnixi, probably with a hearing problem, who would too stuck his ways to even consider the option of peace, even though it would benefit both their people. He would ask impossible things of her and negotiations would last months. Months of loneliness...

Well, she thought, raising herself from her window seat and igniting her spirit flames with a thought, better go meet this old fogey.

Trixel:

Rethelen: He's loving, he has a heart of gold, and always wants to help people out.
Also, the most intelligent pet in Sylestia.
Trixel raced down the hall, his flames phasing in and out with the pounding of his anxious heart. He was late late late late!!!!!! The ball must have started an hour ago and Renara would need him as her escort and confidante for the meeting with the Yah official. And here he was being late! Oh, but that ancient parchment in the library had been just too tempting, and he had quickly lost himself, and his sense of time, in the flowing poetry of the words. His mind began to drift and his pace slowed as he used his eidetic memory to recall the gist of the script once more, his eyes gaining a dreamy quality and his suddenly sluggish gait gaining him quizzical looks from the bustling palace staff. Until he accidentally walked over one. "'Cor, now, what do ye think ye're doing getting yer beeg auld feet all tangled yup in me muck bucket?!?" the yellow bulbori admonished as she helped him stand and pawed at his ruined vest. "Now lookee, what ye gun and did; ye got yer blouse all mussed, ye did! Cor, what are we gunna do 'bout this then?" She nibbled her lower lips worriedly. "Please, madam, do not fret over my attire," Trixel comforted, "It is but a thought away from returning to its pristine condition". Trixel waved a paw over his chest and cast an illusion to cover up the stain. "Aw, well, thet's a mighty fain trick, thet is!" the bulbori maid exclaimed, "Ye must be yun ouv them wizard ye are! Why are ye not at the banquet with the rest?" "King Desius' Helmet! I'm late!" Trixel cried as he once again began to race for the ballroom. "Ye forgot yer specs!" the bulbori called as she bounded after him, waving a pair of glasses in the air. The sight of a slightly damp bulbori chasing a well dressed, flaming, tattooed zolnixi down the halls caused all the palace help to stop and stare. Quite a few even had to try to cover snickers that threatened to escape.

Fifteen minutes later, Trixel arrived at the doors to the ballroom, slightly out of breath, and... with foggy vision? "Oh dear, where are my spectacles?" he said, patting his clothes. "Cor, but ye're a fast yun," an exhausted bulbori said from behind him, as she sank to the ground in a heap. "'ere's yer specs, milord." "Oh my, thank you! Do you require any assistance? You appear to be rather... tuckered out..." Trixel worriedly looked at the bulbori. "Nah, milord, I's just be needing me second wind, then I's be good," she said with a smile as she waved off his helping hand.

"Trixel? Trixel! Oh, there you are!" a wine-red young female zolnixi called out, the spirit flames surrounding her body burning brightly. "I just arrived. I do hope you didn't wait for me too long. The herald said we should be announced in 10 minutes." "Not at all, Spirit Renara,"Trixel said, placing her arm in his as he walked her to the ballroom doors and the bulbori headed back to her work, "waiting for you helps time simply... fly by."

Chapter 1
Ah, today had been a good day in the city of Egrabar, and tonight was going to be even better. The young, light colored, finely groomed vixen just knew it, as she wended her way through the marketplace, pausing here and there to look over some wares as the stalls began to close and the market empty of satisfied (and not so satisfied) customers. Hehe, many of whom have much lighter purse than when they came here, and not just from shopping, she thought as she hefted her own purse, which was considerably heavier than it had been when she had entered the market, and turned her smirk into a gracious smile for the apple-seller. At the end of the market she looked around to make sure no one was watching her, before ducking into an alley and using her three tails to weave the shadows of the coming twilight to obscure her form. Once she was cloaked in near-invisibility, she slinked out and began the furtive trip back to her lair.

Her shadowed form wove between buildings, over rooftops, and through gardens as the sun set on the city of Egrabar. As the last rays of light disappeared behind the horizon, she reached her lair, just in time to enjoy in the flash of brilliance as the last bit of light reflected off her gemstone collection. "Hello, my lovelies, did you miss me?" she said as she looked over her collection on her way to her workbench. The lair was a single room with a polished hardwood floor with a thick ruby-red rug in the center and high-vaulted stone ceiling. One wall was covered in shelves in that held various stones, jewelry, and vials of viscous liquids and sparkles. Another wall was lined with glass cases, specially charmed to only be visible to their owner and filled with a multitude of precious gems and ancient tomes. Against the wall farthest from the entrance was a gigantic wooden table, half covered in an a chemical array that would make an alchemist weep with longing and half covered in a mechanical workstation. This table is where the young vixen went, upending her heavy purse in the only space free of contraptions. Eh, nothing of note, but it's good to keep one's hand in the game, she thought with pride as she rifled though the necklaces, rings, and bracelets on the table, before sweeping them into a plain sack, I'll return them to the authorities tomorrow. Of course, none of these gems could hold her interest, not when her mind was filled with thoughts of a particular ruby talisman. She had only caught a glimpse of it as a procession went through the center of town two days ago, but since then her obsession had only grown. She wanted that talisman-no, she had to have that talisman. Her paws itched just thinking about it. And stealing such a beautiful, magical object from a prince, a shaman no less? That was certainly one for the record books.

She wasn't bad, per se; stealing was just far too much fun to ever even consider walking away from it. And besides, wasn't she the perfect thief? Ever since she had nicked her first quarter on a dare (goodness me, silly adventurers should watch their pockets more carefully when they're wandering about in the lawless woods!), and experienced the thrill of a crime well-executed, she'd been a repeat offender. And, of course, had long moved on from nicked quarters, if the sack of high-priced jewelry at her feet was any indication of her aptitude.

Night was coming and the moon was dark, perfect for the heist she had planned. The young shaman-prince whose talisman she had spied that fateful day would be ensconced in the palace, feeling at ease and resting from his travels to the city. Thinking himself and all of his sparkly belongings safe. Ha! Like I've never stolen anything from the palace, she thought as she touched the glass case that housed the youngest princess's 2nd birthday present from the queen. However, it would be tricky, especially with the prince being a magic user himself, which was why she had spent the past two days creating the perfect plan. "Ready or not, here I come," she smiled as she she gathered what she would need for her job tonight.

********
A wine-red vixen sat on her window seat, watching the setting sun through the palace window. Her ladies swarmed about her, placing a tiara on her head, smoothing her fur, wrapping her lithe form in creamy silks. She smiled graciously at them, only fixing little things here and there as they worked. She was refined, calm, cool and collected. A velveted claw, just as she had been trained from a young kit, when she was first chosen by the Elder to become the Spirit of her people. But now here she was practically commanded to grovel for peace with some hidebound foreigner! Her people had been engaged in a semi-war with his for generations, but now her Futuresight had told her was the time to broker peace. Peace?!? Seriously?!? With these heathens who had been slaying her people! When her people were finally winning! Arrrggghhhhh!!!!

And breathe. Allow the Life Force to enter, suffuse your being, and remove the anger. Be a calm, crystal lake. With roiling piranhas underneath.

She hadn't met this hidebound official yet, but she had observed him and his extensive entourage two days ago when they entered the city (and felt just slightly satisfied that hers was larger). She just knew that he was going to be some elderly, wrinkled zolnixi, probably with a hearing problem, who would too stuck in his ways to even consider the option of peace, though it would benefit both their people. He would ask impossible things of her and negotiations would last months. Months of loneliness...

Well, she thought, raising herself from her window seat as her ladies finished their ministrations and igniting her spirit flames with a thought, better go meet this old fogey.

^^^^^^^^
Seh nervously pulled at his neckerchief while gazing out across the king's banquet hall. While the room was beautiful, with a tall white marble and gold ceiling, gold filigreed white marble pillars lining the walls, which were abutted with large tables, practically breaking under the weight of the food that covered them, and was filled with the sound of the best musicians of the city playing from a dias on the opposite side of the room from the royal family, he felt uncomfortable. Not because of the room, mind you; he was a warrior-prince who had never backed down from a fight (and never lost), but this room was filled with people. And not just any people, but the most conniving, sneaky twisted set to ever exist: gentry. Seh was more of a straightforward, speak your mind and hash things out sort of zolnixi, not one of these slimy, griping, perfumed and smiling lords and ladies who milled about on the dance floor vying for power as they built and destroyed alliances with but a word. Seh couldn't comprehend how these people could so easily abandon their allies at the prospect of prestige. There was no honor in stabbing someone in the back. It was why he had left his brother's own court to join in the war, where he may actually be of use. Not that his brother saw it that way. Peh only saw Seh as a useful figurehead, since he had gained much acclaim on the frontlines. That was fine, Seh didn't mind kissing hands if it meant his soldiers would get the supplies they needed. But then that son-of-a-myconid Peh had to proclaim Seh crown prince and send him off to this strange city to broker peace with some savage smoke-worshipper!

#"Look, Seh," he had said after locking the doors to the Small Battle Room, sending away the guards, and activating the privacy charms, "I'm going to be honest with you. You're the only person I trust with this mission. The Neglei were going to win this war. No, don't interrupt me," he admonished when he had seen Seh opening his mouth, "I know that your unit had been doing well, very well. But a war is not one unit and... it was not going well. But then the Spirit of the Neglei contacted me and said she wanted to talk peace. Now, I don't trust her, and I can't see why she would come to us for peace, but we need it, Seh. You're the only one that I trust to not let your anger and hatred of the Neglei get in the way of this, if they really do want peace, and can... handle them if they don't. On your honor, can you carry out this mission?"

Seh had looked at the missive his brother held out to him and thought of the friends he had lost to the Neglei over the years they had been fighting. He wanted to throw that scroll in his brother's face and say screw the Neglei and burn them all to ground. Then he had thought of the soldiers he had left and how they longed for home and how many he may lose if this war continued. He sighed as he let go of his anger and knelt, bowing his head as he took the parchment from his brother. "Yes, my King, my brother, I accept the mission."

"Good, thank you, Prince Seh," his brother had said with relief, "you leave immediately for Egrabar. Oh, and Seh?" he had added as he walked Seh to the door, "You're Crown Prince now. Tah tah!" He closed the door with a grin as Seh was surrounded by his retinue-to-be before he could protest.#

And now here he was in Egrabar, in a room full of power-hungry young ladies, waiting to meet the demon-priestess of your worst enemy. And wearing a flimsy suit. Any hardened warrior would, quite understandable, run from the room shrieking like a little girl. Seh, however, only adjusted his vest as the herald announced "His Highness, Crown Prince Seh of Yah, Duke of Highland, Guardian of the Evertree, Shaman of Taneil, Warrior of the Lionway" and entered the grand ballroom.

Chapter 2
Trixel raced down the hall, his flames phasing in and out with the pounding of his anxious heart. He was late late late late!!!!!! The ball must have started an hour ago and Renara would need him as her escort and confidante for the meeting with the Yah official. And here he was being late! Oh, but that ancient parchment in the library had been just too tempting, and he had quickly lost himself, and his sense of time, in the flowing poetry of the words. His mind began to drift and his pace slowed as he used his eidetic memory to recall the gist of the script once more, his eyes gaining a dreamy quality and his suddenly sluggish gait gaining him quizzical looks from the bustling palace staff. Until he accidentally walked over one. "'Cor, now, what do ye think ye're doing getting yer beeg auld feet all tangled yup in me muck bucket?!?" the yellow bulbori admonished as she helped him stand and pawed at his ruined vest. "Now lookee, what ye gun and did; ye got yer blouse all mussed, ye did! Cor, what are we gunna do 'bout this then?" She nibbled her lower lips worriedly. "Please, madam, do not fret over my attire," Trixel comforted, "It is but a thought away from returning to its pristine condition". Trixel waved a paw over his chest and cast an illusion to cover up the stain. "Aw, well, thet's a mighty fain trick, thet is!" the bulbori maid exclaimed, "Ye must be yun ouv them wizard ye are! Why are ye not at the banquet with the rest?" "King Desius' Helmet! I'm late!" Trixel cried as he once again began to race for the ballroom. "Ye forgot yer specs!" the bulbori called as she bounded after him, waving a pair of glasses in the air. The sight of a slightly damp bulbori chasing a well dressed, flaming, tattooed zolnixi down the halls caused all the palace help to stop and stare. Quite a few even had to try to cover snickers that threatened to escape.

Fifteen minutes later, Trixel arrived at the doors to the ballroom, slightly out of breath, and... with foggy vision? "Oh dear, where are my spectacles?" he said, patting his clothes. "Cor, but ye're a fast yun," an exhausted bulbori said from behind him, as she sank to the ground in a heap. "'ere's yer specs, milord." "Oh my, thank you! Do you require any assistance? You appear to be rather... tuckered out..." Trixel worriedly looked at the bulbori. "Nah, milord, I's just be needing me second wind, then I's be good," she said with a smile as she waved off his helping hand.

"Trixel? Trixel! Oh, there you are!" a wine-red young female zolnixi called out, the spirit flames surrounding her body burning brightly. "I just arrived. I do hope you didn't wait for me too long. The herald said we should be announced in 10 minutes." "Not at all, Spirit Renara,"Trixel said, placing her arm in his as he walked her to the ballroom doors and the bulbori headed back to her work, "waiting for you helps time simply... fly by."

"The Honorable Lady Renara, Spirit of the Eternal Flame, Protector of the Neglei, and her escort, Lord Trixel, Flame Guardian,"the herald announced, ushering them into the grand ballroom.

"So, what can you tell me about this envoy of Yah?"Renara asked as they made their way down the steps.

"Well, milady, he's a renowned in Yah as a great war-hero. He has no known hobbies, other than swinging his sword and flinging his shadow spells, but he's awfully good at that. He hasn't been in the Yah court much since taking part in the war, but was just recently announced as his brother, the king's successor, so he must be a master manipulator. In short, milady, he is definitely physically and politically dangerous and likely rather stubborn," Trixel finished as he helped Renara down the last step.

"This is going to be a long peace talk," Renara sighed before settling the mask of pleasant smile on her face and turning to the court lady who was approaching to exchange greetings.

^^^^^^^^
Bless the Evertree, these women are crazy! Seh thought, ducking out of the ballroom in the eager confusion the arrival of the Spirit of the Flame caused before getting a look at the female he would be spending the majority of his time with. At least her arrival brought some good. A good escape. Seh readjusted his vest and the talismans around his neck, regaining his composure after the ordeal of "lovely, young ladies" he had had the singular "pleasure" of "enjoying".

He needed a moment to breath. To allow his sinuses to recover from the cloying scent of their perfume and his eyes to no longer be overwhelmed by the glare of their jewels. Really, why would anyone bedeck themselves in so much glittery frivolity for the sole purpose of "looking nice" was beyond him. Unless the whole "looking nice" thing was only a ruse to use the shocking brilliance of the gems to blind unsuspecting males for easier capture...

A shadow passed at the edge of Seh's vision. Seh turned to look, but nothing was there. Suddenly, the great hallway began to feel claustrophobic as the feeling of being hunted, a sense Seh had developed on the battlefield that had saved his life more than once, continued to grow. "Who's there?" Seh called out, unconsciously dropping into a fighting crouch. Silence echoed in the brightly lit hall while Seh scanned the area with his eyes. "I know you're there, so just make this easy and reveal yourself before I force you to!" Seh waited a few minutes, growing increasingly uneasy as he mentally prepared his search spell. But, before he could release it, he heard a squeak and saw a black mouse scurry by at the end of the hall, stopping to give him what seemed to be an awfully nasty look before continuing on its way.

Seh sighed and felt some of his restlessness ease. Could his senses have been jangled so by an antagonistic rodent? Maybe he had been spending too much time on the front lines of battle if a mouse could set him off so badly. Maybe his brother was right to send him away to broker this peace. Certainly no one could be more eager for it than him...

Lost his thoughts, Seh turned to go back in to the ballroom, not noticing that his shadow had been joined by another until the second had merged seamlessly.

********
Renara was smiling as she made her way around the ballroom, testing the allegiances of its occupants as she studied them to learn their desires. And develop ways to take advantage of those desires later. Renara gazed across the room at her escort. Trixel was surrounded by covey of adolescent gentry who were all eagerly watching as he regaled them with an animated story.

She smiled, a real one this time, and the flames surrounding her limbs brightened. It was good to see her dearest friend enjoying himself and relaxing (and gaining the adoration of the younglings, an excellent way to get into the good graces of their parents). This war had been hard on the tender-hearted scholar, the suffering it caused tearing at him until Renara had begun to worry that one day her friend would be gone, leaving only an empty shell in his place.

She shook her head, trying to dislodge the unpleasant thoughts as she turned to greet a a matching green and black qitari couple, their manes lit up like flames, who were asking if she would have time to join them in morning benedictions. Renara made a noncommital agreement about the necessity of morning benedictions and made her way toward the dais of the royal family, ready to meet this Prince Seh and begin the process of leading her people to peace.

"Ah, my, Lady Renara, I remember when you were but a kit, testing your feet in Our courtly waters," a voice declared from beside her," Now look at you! My dear, you have grown into quite a lovely young woman." Renara turned to gaze into the blue eyes of King Atticus, who was flanked by his two wives, Alexandria the Black and Neixa the Gray, all of whom returned her gazes with genuine smiles. "I am so glad that you chose Our fair city as the site of your peace talks, if only that we may may have this opportunity to renew old friendships."

"Your Majesty, when the talk of peace was first discussed in my kingdom, your city was the first place I thought of to hold it," Renara said, curtsying to the King and his ladies. "Though, I must admit that my support of it did have an ulterior motive: getting to see you and your wonderful family. It has been far to long since my duties have allowed me the pleasures of visiting with old friends."

"Well, We can only hope that in the future, the near future, those duties may not be quite so trying and you may have more opportunity to visit Us, no?"

"Such is my sincerest hope, Your Majesty. On that note, I heard that the Prince Seh of Yah is currently in attendance- would you mind terribly presenting me to to him?"

"Not at all, milady," King Atticus said as he waved a few pages over. "Go find Prince Seh and lead him to Us, so that We may present him to the Spirit, please."

"Now," King Atticus said, turning back to Renara, "while we await the arrival of the young prince, perhaps, you may tell us about how everything is with your family."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Renara said, mentally preparing herself for her coming introduction to the unknown Prince.

Chapter 3
As Seh reentered the ballroom, a young male lupora dressed in the King's livery came up to him. Thank the Evertree it's not a female!

"Salutations and blessings upon you, Prince Seh," the well-dressed lupora said with a deep bow, "The King requests your presence. I am to bring you to him immediately."

"Of course- please, lead the way," Seh replied. Seh followed the lupora to a table by the Royal Dais, where he saw King Atticus and his wives seated talking animatedly with a lovely young, wine-red vixen. Seh was stunned by her reserved beauty. His eyes drank in the play of the golden swirls upon her scarlet fur. They followed the gentle slope of her neck to her chest

Chapter 3 (con't)
So stunned was Seh by the young vixen's reserved beauty, that it took him a full to minute to realize tha the limbs he was staring at so admiringly were sheathed in ethereal flames. By the Evertree, she's a Flame Guardian! Seh thought in shock. Get a hold of yourself, man! Luckily for Seh, his internal struggles were interrupted by the other residents of the beautiful vixen's table.

"Look, my King," a regal black vixen with a throaty contralto said, "it appears our other guest of honor has arrived."
"Ah, how rude of us," giggled an identical gray vixen with a tinkling laugh, as she moved towards Seh, "we were so caught up in the gossip of faraway lands, that we didn't realize we had a living representation of it right here for our enjoyment!" The gray vixen grabbed Seh's sleeve and pulled him to the table, gently shoving him into an empty chair on the opposite side from the red vixen. "I believe you meant 'representative'," said the black calmly. "Oh same difference," the gray waved away the correction, giving the King and her black twin a hug before returning to her seat and exclaiming proudly "Here he is!" with a gesture that was vaguely in Seh's direction.

The red vixen tried to conceal her mirth unsuccessfully. "I can see that, Your Majesty. I bring you greetings and salutations from the Neglei, Prince Seh, and eagerly look forward to beginning the path to peace between our two people," she said, elegantly extending one of her paws to lightly tap his, before returning it to her lap.

"And it will be Our pleasure to mediate these talks between yourself, Prince Seh, and the Lady Renara," King Atticus said with a gesture to the red vixen.

Oh, screw me now, Seh thought, barely stopping his jaw from dropping. I was just ogling the Spirit of the Flame!

********
Well, he's certainly not old Renara thought as she analyzed the Prince appreciatively. Or, rather, he's just old enough... Renara quickly squashed that thought before it could complete itself. Queen Neixa was having a very bad influence on her.

"I pray your travels were easy," Renara continued, a quick scan of all the seated royals' faces confirming that none had caught a glimpse of her inner thoughts. "My own entourage ran across a group or two of bandits, but we were able to easily dispatch them." There let him know that me and mine are a force to be reckoned with!

"Hm, I don't think we came across any bandits... but, then again, most bandit troupes would probably have avoided us," Seh said, wracking his mind to think if there had been anything difficult that could help him garner the lady's sympathy. "Oh! We had some slight problems with biting flies, but were able to handle it quickly and easily with some modified wards."

And now he cleverly tries to insinuate that his entourage is composed of better fighters and more magically talented than my own! Well, two can play at that game. "Truly, Prince Seh? No wonder it took you so long to arrive! Movement with a ward is difficult, especially with such a large retinue as you must have enjoyed! Perhaps, as a show of good faith, once our talks are concluded, I may interest you in perusing some of our own spells for... preventing unwanted company," Renara said as she allowed her eyelashes to flutter and her gaze to drop ever so slightly, the briefest hint of flirtatious glance, before flashing a quick, toothy grin. Come on, Prince. Flirt with danger a little... I'll make you putty in my hands and get peace on my own terms...

Did she just flash him the Look? Seh was certain, well, almost certain, that she had. And that grin when she talked of "unwanted company"... maybe she was threatening him? Or something else? Or it was all just in his mind? Seh's head started to ache; he could feel a migraine coming on. He quickly glanced at the clock, noting that the ball had lasted a good four hours and the room was beginning to clear. Snatching at the reprieve this lent him, Seh said, "Ah, milady, it would be my utter delight to be granted the opportunity to learn more of your people, but unfortunately, I find myself overwhelmed by the grandeur of my current company after spending so much time recently in the field. I beg that you allow me to excuse myself and retire for the evening so that I may be refreshed when we begin our peace talks in earnest tomorrow." Seh began to rise from his seat before the others could even begin to say good night and quickly exchanged pleasantries with them before leaving the table and heading to the ballroom door. Along the way he was accosted by no fewer than four "Well-bred, young ladies" who each seemed intent on only increasing the pounding in his skull. Reaching the door to the grand ballroom was like reaching an island in the middle of a stormy sea. Seh breathed a sigh of relief as he opened the doors and walked out of the ballroom toward his own suite of rooms.

Chapter 4
By the Evertree, my head is pounding, Seh thought as he stumbled into his rooms, the pain in his skull having intensified during his brief trip back from the ballroom. It feels like a million smiths are waving their hammers around in there. Seh collapsed onto the divan in his receiving room and closed his eyes. His servants, familiar with his habits, had left a cold pitcher of water by his bed before they retired for the night. Seh eagerly drank a glass of water before holding the cold pitcher to his forehead, hoping to mitigate the ache, but if anything, the coolness of the glass only exacerbated the pounding in his head.

Seh placed the pitcher back on the table and began the breathing exercises required for entering a meditative trance. As he let his thoughts go, though, he felt... nervous? anticipatory? A desire for... shinees?These aren't my thoughts! The non-Seh thoughts quickly turned to surprise as Seh began rooting through his mind to find the source of the invasion. There you are! Seh mentally grabbed the Presence and ripped it from his mind, casting it out into a power circle and fortifying his mind against any other incursions. By instinct, Seh was in fighting pose, hand reaching for his absent sword before he even opened his eyes.

When he did open his eyes, he was surprised to find at his feet, not a demon come to steal his soul, but a shapely vixen with three tails, dressed head to toe in a skintight black and gray outfit and some sort of goggles covering her eyes, leaving only her pouty, red lips visible. The vixen was slowly shaking her head. "Wow, I haven't had a hit to my noggin like that since I was kit," she said, rising to her feet as she regained her equilibrium. "Truly, I didn't know you had it in ya, Princey." She looked him in the eyes, hers glowing a faint silver behind the goggles as she placed a paw on her jutted hip. "Mmhm, my aren't you a yummy one? Please, don't get your panties in a knot 'cuz of little old me. I promise to be out of your fur in a shake and a two paws," she rambled as her gaze began to sweep the room.

"You're not a demon..." Seh said, maintaining his fighting crouch and his gaze on her. "How did you contaminate my mind?" "Well, since you ask so nicely, I guess I'll tell ya," the vixen said as she poked at the edge of the power circle and withdrew her singed finger with a gasp. "Gals like me tend to have a way of getting on a feller's thoughts." She turned her back to him to survey the other side of the room, shifting her tails so he could get a good look at her fine derrier and tossed a wicked grin over her shoulder. Seh noticed the shadows quiver on the opposite side of the room. "You're a shadow-caster," he said. "Like me." He had heard of those who walked the shadow path without honor who would not hesitate to use their powers to invade and desecrate an individual's most innate being but had never run across such an honorless creature until now. Seh used a bit of his own powers to quiet the shadows, knowing that while within his power circle she would never have the manna necessary to contend against his might. "Oh," she said, turning back to face him and pouting with full lips, "that certainly answers my question of how were able to see and toss me out on my******like that. And after all that trouble Mr. Inky and I went through to distract you so I could enter your shadow..." "Mr. Inky...?" The vixen nodded, waggling her fingers at the shadows, which briefly coalesced into the faint outline of a black mouse before collapsing back. "Eh, best laid plans of mice and men and all that," she said with a wink. "Now what does a big, handsome guy like you plan on doing with a helpless, sweet piece of tail like myself?" She sat within the circle and leaned back on her elbows, arching her back until it cracked. "I'm-I'm going to call the guards, madam, and have them deal with you," Seh said, his eyes drawn like a magnet to her prominent chest. "Aw, too bad. I thought you were going to say something boring like that," she said as she got to her feet in one fluid motion and tossed a little bag onto the floor, causing the room to fill with smoke. Seh hacked and coughed as the smoke filled his lungs and his eyes watered. When the smoke cleared, Seh found himself looking down a dagger into the face of the black-clothed vixen, except now her mouth was covered by a bright pink cloth.


Note: I may want to add more to Renara and Seh's conversation, but I didn't want to fill a whole page with dialogue. If anyone things or wants me to add more to the conversation, I promise to endeavor to add and find a way to blend more dialogue in.

Chapter 4 con't
Seh's eyes shot daggers at the vixen while he tried to control his coughing, so as to avoid impaling his throat on the dagger two inches from it. "Aw, honey, don't look like that. You didn't really leave me much of a choice here, y'know? I couldn't let our first date end on such a sour note as you were planning," she said. "Now, I'm sure you'll be much more agreeable." "If you're an assassin, you can kill me now-I'm not afraid to die," Seh said gritting his teeth, "But could you please do it without... being like that? It's... grating." The vixen stared at Seh for a moment, before bursting into giggles. "You think I came all this way to end your life, hot stuff? Heh, no wonder you were so unwelcoming! Naw, I'm not in the habit of ending cute guys like ya. Unless they forget my birthday," she shot him a look, "Did you forget my birthday?" "How can I forget something I never knew?" Seh replied, confused, as he tried to surreptitiously use his power to gather the shadows. "Of course you didn't, 'cuz here's my present!" The vixen exclaimed as she used her dagger to cut Seh's talisman from his neck, letting it drop into her open paw, and putting it down the front of her outfit. "Aw, you shouldn't have!" "And I didn't!" Seh said as he lunged at her, a shadow sword forming in his hand. She sidestepped his swing, using the hilt of her dagger to hit and numb Seh's sword hand as she twisted her body into his arms and kissed him with her full, pouty lips. Seh deepened the kiss, feeling, more than hearing, her gentle moan against his mouth, before realizing what he was doing in shock.

"Wh-what?" Seh said, taking a step back from her. "What was that?" "I believe the children call it a 'kiss'," the vixen said with grin. "And now that I have your pretty," she patted her chest, "I'll take my leave of you, my good Prince, and be on my merry way!" "You're a thief," Seh said, taking a step and stumbling as he lost feeling in his limbs. "What did you do to me?" "Just a little paralysis potion in my lip gloss," the vixen said, immediately at his side, helping lower him to the floor as all his muscles stopped responding, "It should wear off by morning, and I'll be long gone by then." She reached and grabbed a pillow from the divan, which she placed under Seh's head as she stood up. "Couldn't have you raising the alarm now, could I?" she said as she walked towards the window and Seh's vision began to go black at the edges. "Until we meet again, my Prince," she said, blowing him a kiss before jumping out the window and Seh's world went black.

$$$$$$$$
Gods curse it, but that was close! the thief thought as she ran along the roof of the palace towards the kitchens Who knew he would be able to sense me?!? The thief had ridden the shadows of other Dark-benders before and none of them had detected even a hint of her presence. Thank goodness, I came prepared, she thought, feeling the reassuring weight of her dagger with the magic siphon spell on it and her little bags of Shade's Cough Powder. And I didn't even have to abort. Man, am I awesome or what? Answer: Totally awesome!

She slipped through a window into the kitchen, pulling the shadows around her until she looked like a high-ranked black zolnixi lady-in-waiting with three tails, carrying a book. When her shadow disguise was completely set in place, she stepped from where she had been hiding and walked purposefully towards gardens, grabbing a bread roll and a wineskin along her way. Yep, nothing to see here; just a lady using some of her time off to enjoy some light reading in the garden.

"Pardon me, milady?" a male voice said from behind her as a paw tapped her shoulder. What now? the black vixen thought as she turned and looked up into the kindest eyes she had ever seen set in a handsome face located at the top of a tall, lanky, tattooed, lightly muscled body. "Yes, sir?" She said, averting her eyes demurely downwards, "How may I help you?" "Ah, I noticed that you, too, were an enthusiast of literature," he gestured to the book in her paw and the one in his own, "and was wondering if you could aid fellow enthusiast, namely myself, in the procurement of nourishment?" he pointed at the baguette and wineskin in her other paw.

And this night just gets better: now I have to ditch this lordling. Politely. Ugh! the disguised thief thought to herself, lowering her gaze and looking at the yellow male through her lashes. "Oh, I would be delighted, sir," she breathed, taking his hand and leading him to the table where she had found her own prizes,"Here, please, help yourself. Will you be needing anything else?" She turned back to the garden door.

"Actually, if you don't mind, I would love to take a look at that volume in your paw. It seems to be a very rare edition of the lady samurai, Amya, " the male said, following her out the door, refreshments forgotten in his quest to annoy her. "I spent most of today in the library and I don't believe I saw that book there... Is it from a private collection?" Yes, mine!!! thought the vixen, futilely trying to lengthen her stride to get away from him, Well, a shadow copy of the one I have back at my lair... whatever! Go away!. He easily matched her quickened pace. "Oh, milord, you have a good eye!" she chirped aloud. "This book is one of my family's great treasures. When my day is done, I like to take it outside to read while enjoying the night air. By myself." "Would you mind if I borrowed it?" Considering it's my camouflage, yes! All right, time to get rid of you.

She started walking towards one of the secluded alcoves of the garden, where lovers would often meet for private trysts. Privacy was exactly what she needed if she was going to do away with this annoying, yellow male and make her get away before that shadow prince came to his senses. "Oh, milord, I couldn't! It is a family treasure and... I don't even know your name!" She shot him a shocked glance. He blinked in surprise. "Ah, I'm sorry, milady. My name is Lord Trixel, though, please, call me Trixel. I'm a member of the Neglei delegation." The vixen nearly stopped in her tracks. The Neglei? I wonder what treasures they may have.... she mused. And this Trixel may be my in... change of plans! "The Neglei? Oh, we were told to help you feel welcome while you were here..." she bit her lip and sat on the bench in the alcove, pulling him down to sit next to her. "All right! You can borrow it." He reached for the book. "But not this copy! This isn't actually the original text; it's a copy I use so that I may write my own thoughts in the margins (I would NEVER write in an original!). Perhaps I can bring the original to your rooms tomorrow?" "Oh, could you?" Trixel said, his eyes lighting up. "I would love to read the original text!" Certainly!" she replied standing up and leaving the alcove while he was still dazed by joy. "Tomorrow, Lord Trixel." As soon as she was out of his sight, she wove the shadows around herself. "Wait, milady," he said rising to follow her trail, "I don't know your name!" He ran back to the bench. "And you left your refreshments!' He picked them up and tried to follow her again, but she was gone into the night.

Note: Not sure if I completely like this, but it will do for now to progress the story where I want it to go.

Disclaimer: This next bit is where it gets a little hazy for me. I have point A, and I have point B, but I'm not sure of the path between them, so please bear with me.

Chapter 5
Seh was running through a forest, looking for something. Or someone? Yes, someones. He had to find them before the others did; it was imperative! The branches tore at his fur, their leaves hitting him in the face. He stumbled and fell, tripping over a snaky root. He wasn't going to find them in time! The light in the forest darkened making the trees' bark stand out a deep red and everything else a smoky black. Seh, started running, the path before him clear of any obstacles. The red of the trees began to drip down until it coated the path, then began to rise. Still Seh ran on, until the red was up to his waist. Suddenly he was in a clearing. The red was gone. The sun was shining, the grass and trees were green and flowering. It was a perfect summer's day. In the middle of the clearing was a rock. Someone was lying atop, the creamy fur of paw resting on their chest being ruffled by the wind. Then the paw fell off the chest and Seh saw that it was covered in blood. In an instant, Seh was by the side of the rock, holding a Shadow blade slick with the blood of the person on the rock, who had a rapidly spreading bloody red stain across their chest. But who was it? Seh tried to focus on the face. Peh? Renara? Lady Neixa? An unknown masked vixen? Gisebelle? The face kept changing, looking like people from Seh's unit, alive and dead, as well as people he had met more recently in Egrabar. Suddenly the unknown person, sat up, opened their mouth... and started ringing.

What? Seh thought as he blearily opened his eyes and looked into the face of his manservant, Steve, who was glaring at Seh and ringing a small silver bell.
"Sir," the middle-aged faelora said with a slightly disdainful sniff, "may I ask why you are sleeping on the floor when there is a perfectly adequate bed not ten feet away? Martial living couldn't have made you this barbaric." Seh looked at the yellow and pink faelora blankly, then to the floor that he had obviously been using as a bed. What the heck hap-? Suddenly, the memories of last night came rushing back in a blur. The mental intrusion... the black vixen... kiss... his amulet... "Thief! I've been robbed!" Seh shouted, bounding to his feet. "Call the Guard!"

An hour later, Seh had changed into clean clothing and was ready to receive the Head of the Guard. When a knock came at the door, Seh nodded to Steve to let them in. Steve opened the door on a golden-brown zolnixi with a dark-brown striped tail and dark brown spots across his forehead dressed in gold-gilded armor flanked by a blue qitari with twin horns on his head and more growing from his shoulders in sea foam green and gray armor and a white bulbori with butterfly wings in orange armor. They all gave Seh low bows when they entered.

"Prince Seh," the golden zolnixi said, straightening from his bow, "I am Reginald Schlaffen, captain of the Guard and these are my lieutenants, Sir Geoffrey," he pointed at the qitari "and Sir Pinkle" he pointed at the bulbori. "What seems to be the problem?" "Well, your security is absolutely horrible!" Seh burst out. "Last night, some common thief broke in and stole my Lava Ruby amulet!" "Uh huh," Said Captain Reginald, unfazed, "Was this this thief a female zolnixi?" "Yes, she was." "Was she wearing a skin tight black suit?" "Yes...." "Did she plant one on you, causing you to fall unconscious and allowing her to escape?" "..." "Yep, it was Le. You're probably never going to see that amulet again so you may as well make peace with that fact." "But you're the Guard! You have to catch this thief and get it back!" "I would if I could, sir, but I can't," replied the captain. "You see, Le has been a presence in this town for a good decade now and no one has ever been able to catch her. The glimpse you had is the most anyone has ever been able to report." "She's kind of become a legend," Lord Pinkle added. "You may even say a tourist attraction. 'Come to Egrabar and have your prized possessions stolen by the mysterious Le!'" "Don't aggrandize her," said Sir Geoffrey, "Prince Seh, she is a thief like any other, a good one, but a thief, who seems to have some delusions of being a vigilante. And he encourages her!" The qitari pointed at his captain. "I don't 'encourage her'," the captain replied, "I merely make use of services she would provide anyway. You see, Prince Seh, Le has... let's call it connections, that have allowed her to provide the Guard very crucial pieces of information that have allowed us to prevent many an unfortunate death and put many criminals behind bars." "She's just getting rid of the competition," Sir Geoffrey mumbled. "Oh yes, because I'm sure rapists and murderers are real competition for a jewel thief like Le," the captain retorted sarcastically.

"Why do you call her Le?" the prince asked, interrupting the old argument that was beginning to resurface. "Heh, now that's an interesting tale," said Sir Pinkle. "When Le first started stealing, we were calling her The Thief. Then, one morning, all the Guard awoke to find their armor missing, we went searching everywhere in the barracks to find it, until someone ventured outside and saw it in a gigantic pile in the yard with a not pinned to it that said that 'The Thief' wasn't a refined enough name and she would prefer we call her "Le Thief' because it sounded (and I quote here) 'more awesome'. So, now she's Le, and anyone who slips and forgets soon finds themself missing some special object."

"She sounds like a terror," Seh said, glaring at the captain. "How can you let her run around like this?!" "Excuse me, my lord, but we've been trying to catch her for the past ten years! And it's not like you fared better during your meeting with her," the captain said, returning Seh's glare. "Since we haven't yet been able to get her off the streets, yes, I do make use of her as a spy and informant. I would be a fool not to. She has never harmed anyone, only stolen, and half of what she steals, she returns within a month, with a note thanking the individual for the use of their object. In fact, I expect that you'll have your talisman back by the week's end. Probably wake up with it lying next to you on your pillow."

Seh paused for a moment in thought. "What about the things she doesn't return? Any connection between them?" he asked finally. "Mainly books, some things that had been placed as a bait to catch her, some extremely magical artifacts..." the captain trailed off remembering that Seh wasn't only a prince, but a mage in his own right. "Um, this amulet wouldn't happen to be an extremely magical artifact, would it?" he asked. Seh slumped in his chair, all the fight draining from his body. "I'm never getting it back...." he said.

********
Renara was just putting the finishing touches to her wardrobe, preparing for the first of the peace talks she would be having with Prince Seh of Yah. Everything had to be perfect. Her clothing had been carefully calculated to appear both alluringly feminine and like a force to be reckoned with. Knowing the Prince's martial background, the fabric had been designed to mimic chainmail flowing in a golden wave, accentuating her lithe figure. The Fire opal headdress she wore hinted at the outline of a helmet, with rose gold swirls. Her golden bracelets and anklets held an assortment of poisonous darts and small throwing knives, her personal weapons of choice, in case things got out of hand. Oh yes indeed she was ready to meet with this Prince of Yah.

Renara left her suite of rooms to find Trixel waiting for her in the hallway. "Pleasant morning, milady," Trixel said, giving her a slight bow and offering her his arm. "Indeed it is a very pleasant morn," Renara answered, placing her paw in the crook of his elbow and falling into step beside him, "A perfect day for the task we must undertake..." Her face fell. "Renny, don't worry yourself so!" Trixel responded, hating seeing the light go out of her at the thought of their peace talks failing, " I am certain that the Prince will see the necessity of this peace for his people as well as ours!" "But, Trix, he ran out on me so quickly last night! What if he's not... fully committed to peace? What if this is all a ruse for some sort of plot?" Renara whispered, tears in her throat, voicing her greatest fear. Trixel was silent for a minute, considering how best assuage his friend's worries. "Renara," he said finally, "I don't think his commitment truly matters in this scenario. You came here ready to convince the Yah delegate to yield to peace, whether he liked it or not. And I know you, Renny," Trixel said, placing a hand under her chin to force her to look him in the eye, "when you decide that something will occur, you will make it happen. I've seen you use that will in the past to make the impossible happen and you will use that spirit again here to make the Prince see reason and agree to peace. Because it is what you must do." Renara smiled, blinking away the tears that had threatened to fall. "And, worse comes to worst, we kidnap him and send a missive back to Yah claiming that he has a greed to peace, then release him when it's too late!" Trixel joked. "Hmmmm... that could be a good plan...." Renara said, as they reached the door to the room where they would meet with Prince Seh.

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I also shared the story with the general chatroom when you first updated it. ^^ Can't wait for the next update~

@Rethelen, @Flute,
Added a Trixel character blurb/shot to the character post.