“Kes, could you spare a moment?” Ilith asked as she peeked into the cavern where her young were eating.

The wolfess smiled and nodded, leaving the little ones to their dinner and she followed the dragoness to another room, the study where there were many books and even a warming fire within the room, now there was also a spread out blanket with a book upon it.

“Sorry for the suddenness, but I had an idea earlier today, maybe it would be nice to learn more about you, your family as well now that we’ve - or now that Reye has found you.”

“Of course, miss Ilith, whatever you would wish. Although...I don’t really remember very much by now, I was very young when they took me from my parents.”

“Oh that’s alright, I’m just going to jot down some notes while we talk, go ahead and sit with me.” Ilith smiled and took up the book and a lead pencil as they seated themselves on the blanket.

===

The next morning Ilith sat herself down amidst napping hatchlings and wrote out the details of the conversation she had with Kes with a bit more fluidity. Her mate walked in and smiled at his golden mate and being so busy she didn’t hear his footsteps.

“How is the writing coming along?”

Startled, she dropped the pencil and it landed upon a little head, who squeaked and rubbed where the pencil had dropped, gazing up at her mother who purred back in apology and picked up the pencil. “Going rather well, would you like to read it so far?”

“Of course, you know I would, love.”

The green dragon seated himself with his mate and young and took the offered book, opened it and read quietly:

“To begin I must confess that this tale, and others that branch from here, are being recorded after many long conversations with a very dear friend. The story of her life is very vague, at best, so many of these details have been lost but we will work from here. The setting is a quiet little village that was governed, like many, by a single ruler who then were ruled themselves by men of greater power. Siancla is the name of this village, and many of its inhabitants entrusted their lives and their futures in one mortal, a Seer. How many of them did not notice the fondness he had for the drink, and how inept his predictions were, still is a mystery.

In any case, the children in this village were paraded before this Seer on the eve of their fifth birthday and the Seer would mutter some mumbo-jumbo and then choose a career path that the youths were ‘destined’ for.

The family that I have most interest in is not well known, nor were there many members, but it must be separated for the purpose to tell of the great damage that was wrought. The coat of arms, yet simple, bore the surname of the family and was placed upon the door to the drafty homestead, as the others in the village, with much pride. The mother, a full blooded wolfess, and the father, considered from a lesser line of canine, were the proud parents to one son and one daughter, two years apart in age, with no others born after.”

"But I don't wanna be a metalworker!" the young wolfess whined as she fought futilely against her mother's paw. "Standin' there all day with all that fire-my fur will get all messy!"

"Hush, my heart," her mother cooed as she swept the little one into her paws. "Just because your brother got put into that job doesn't mean that you will too."

Later that evening, with a few other parents and children, the group of villagers made their way south of the village, to where the hermit Seer lived, to a large underground cavern that seemed to reek of some sort of unidentifiable stench. Torches lit the passage, and the noise of water could be heard. The Seer was usually dressed in soiled robes, awaiting the crowd who would pay him homage so he may give the parents some light as to how the future generations of the village would make their living.

Tonight, though, he was absent. When the group wandered in, the chair he was normally seated in was empty.

"Helloooo! SEER!" an impetuous youth bellowed.

"Eh? What?" came a voice from a nearby chamber with a dirty curtain hanging halfway over the entrance. A dirty opossum, wearing little more than a loincloth staggered out, wine bottle in hand. "What is it now? I told you, no clients after sundown!"

Many of the children giggled and hid behind their parents, who, many looked away in disgust, and were unable to believe what he was telling them.

A strong male came forward, carrying his young daughter in one arm, "You should know better than that, sir. We work hard all day and this is the only time we can afford to come and see you."

The dirty feline grunted a response and took another swig of the bottle, waving a paw, "Alright, alright, leave your money upon the alter there and I will return in a moment."

The Seer then disappeared behind the curtain, while the crowd gathered around in waiting, the children squirming with annoyance. After a time, the feline reappeared in what probably passed as his best robe. The effect was most likely meant to be of a wise druid-like figure who knew the earth like a brother, but unfortunately it came off as an old fogey too lazy to wash his clothes.

He flopped in the chair and slurred, "Okshay, let's get on wish it!"

The first to come to him was a male pup, mostly black with a few white spots. The Seer made a great show of studying the little one before finally pronouncing loudly, "SHAMAN!"

The pup was quickly gathered up in the arms of his mother, then the parents left the amount of coppers and silvers needed before scurrying off to join the crowd once more, each of the children, of many species were analyzed and given an occupation they would have to live for the rest of their lives. Now came the male who had spoken aloud earlier, he was alone and his fur was covered with dark soot from working in the mines. However the little one in his arms clung to him for dear life and he had some trouble placing her down, he whispered in her ear and his daughter giggled and sat still for now, some of the other villagers whispered amongst themselves as they all waited for the little wolfess' fate to be decided.

However, by this point the alcohol had completely taken over the Seer and he had to clutch at the side of his seat as he tried to focus on the little one.

"I know you..." he said with some difficulty. "I Shaw for your... brother lasht year, yesh? The Droolin’ family?" He laughed uproariously at his own joke.

"Seer!" the girl's father snapped with a growl.

The little one stuck out her tongue at the Seer, and then let out a quiet meep at her father's growl. The Seer scoffed and grabbed at the child's arm, bringing her little paw forward and practically dragged her over the altar’s surface, making her father step forward protectively.

"This one...yesh..a pet in the Baron's househoold! She is veery lucky, she is!"

The drunk feline then let go of the little one who whined and was cradled up in her father's arms quickly, but instead of waiting further with the crowd he rushed past a few of the others and went right outside. This was something his wife was afraid of and he needed to get home and tell her before any of the others could.

The child's mother was waiting anxiously outside their domicile, unable to make herself do anything but stare at the path to the Seer's dwelling. She rushed forward to greet her mate and child as soon as she heard his particular gait on the road through the village. The questions on her lips died abruptly as she saw them, for his expression told her everything that she needed to know.

===

"Flower!" a deep voice called that echoed throughout the large home.

A plump little wolfess ran into the room and quickly positioned herself before the male that called her. She slowly dropped to her knees and tucked her legs beneath her and lowered her head. The male smiled and petted the little one's hair that was tied in braids and the flowers entwined within them matching her hair perfectly, an obvious sign she was playing with his daughter again.

"Bring me a cup of tea, and be sure not to put any sugar in it this time, yes?"

The young one nodded and quickly stood to fetch the tea, almost tripping over the rug as she scampered into the kitchen.

The equine chuckled softly as she scampered out. Despite the fears of her parents, he was reasonably sure that he was kind to the little wolf pet even as he trained her. He had to admit that he was surprised when the two wolves showed up at his door with a little female cub that they almost tearfully explained that they had to make into a pet. He had initially rejected their ‘offer,’ but when they explained that their local Seer had told them that they must, he reluctantly acquiesced.

"Your tea, sir!" the little wolf announced, scampering into the room with a teacup and saucer, amazingly only spilling a little bit as she set it on the table near him.

One of the other pets who was in the room, and much older, stared as the cup and saucer were placed on the table, then quickly came forward and gave the little wolfess' paw a good slap, making the little one flinch. He was in charge of training her and this embarrassed him beyond belief as his apprentice made a mistake before their Master. The equine frowned at the show of discipline but watched as his pet trained her to take up the teacup and saucer, then lower herself to her knees once more and offer up the tea in her paws as she gazed down at the floor. The equine took the teacup as his pet spoke a moment longer with the little one.

The young wolfess quickly scampered off again after the short lesson, followed by the embarrassed-looking pet assigned to her, who bowed deeply to his Master until He gave him permission to leave. Alone again, the baron heaved a sigh as he surveyed the reports from his fields. It wasn’t good; the harvest was slim this year and worse, rats had been found in one of his barns and had eaten many bags of grain. He was pretty sure that he could pay his tribute this year, but it would have to be a very good harvest in order to enable him to pay it next year without having to sell a chunk of his land.

===

All of the men seated themselves at the long oak table, the honorable King Domar at its head and the other twelve seats taken up by barons and generals that owned small territories under his ruling. All of the others looked rather calm, except for one who kept managing to repeat his questions, a clear sign he was worried about the share he was to pay. Domar looked over the reports and was very pleased with some of the men, others he was contemplating to meet with at their homes to see exactly why they were not producing the agreed allotment they had always been paying.

Domar cleared his throat, which got everyone's attention. "I'm sure you all know about the intensifying border skirmishes with the neighboring kingdom of Levex Nost. Therefore, your taxes are extremely important if you are to keep your own land. I know that some of you" he swept the room with his eyes, "have armies that may be able to hold off a sustained assault from one front, but not from two, which you will face if your neighboring land falls."

The other men nodded and agreed, talking amongst themselves and boasting of the strength of their armies. One of the men raised a question, what could be done for those who could not afford to pay these taxes, if there could be another form of payment to make up for the lacking amount.

Domar prided himself on knowing exactly what was going on in each territory in his admittedly small realm. This equine, named M’kan, had suffered a shortage of harvest and he had heard rumors of rats. Normally he would have allowed this baron to pay a smaller amount than normal, but he needed every resource for this burgeoning war and it would only create ill will if the other barons had to make up for this one.

After some consideration he answered, "A lord who is short of funds or grain may give up some of his house guard to the Royal Army, may give a grain field to the Royal Treasury, or may discuss additional forms of payment with the Royal Person when he is present at the lord's lands."

At this the baron nodded, then kept quiet for the rest of the meeting, he would request to speak with the King to visit his home, perhaps something would catch his interest, he at least had four wives so he wouldn't necessarily miss anything. Once the meeting was over he asked one of Domar's attendants to speak with him, which he was allowed to do considering he was the one the most short on his payment.

The King agreed readily to his request, almost too readily for comfort. Then again, he had no choice if he wanted his barony protected. The villages on his land were his responsibility and he had to protect them in any way possible.

===

M'kan was met with an almost a hysterical pet the next morning, the young reptile couldn't keep any sort of composure and was babbling about the King's carriage pulling up through the gates and was waiting just outside the door. The equine adjusted his garments and instructed the pet to show the King in to the large and finely furnished room he was waiting in, also instructing another pet to send for all of his wives, just for a safety measure.

"Your Majesty," the equine murmured, kneeling to kiss the monarch's paw. "It is an honor. We have prepared a feast in your-"

"Let us cut to the chase, M'kan. We both know why I'm here."

The equine stood once more, a bit startled at such a reaction, but he bowed to Domar and turned to see his wives enter the room, several of the pets following, these belonged to his wives, and as he looked to the King he could see him eyeing each individual. All of the pets began to fidget lightly at the scrutinizing gaze they received, fearful that they were being priced as they stood there; M'kan was hoping none of the younger trainees would enter the room, but lo and behold in came his daughter with her own pet, giggling until they saw the group in the room.

M’kan hurriedly tried to chase the little ones from the room, but was stopped by a word from the monarch.

"No, M'kan, I will see everything you have to offer."

"Y-yes... Majesty..." The equine could only hope that the ruler would find something else on his land to suffice.

The mother of the little one quickly grabbed her paw and brought her close, to hide in the skirts of her dress, while the little pet was brought to the reptile's side, standing near his Master, M'kan. The King looked over all of the pets and even stepped close enough to more closely inspect them, but the one that most caught his attention was the small one with the most interesting color of hair. This color reminded him of a garden of flowers he had seen once, while visiting another land; kesanthemum, was the name of the flower, and after a moment he turned and spoke to M'kan.

"How much is it that you owe this year?"

"F-fifty bags of grain for my small fiefdom, Majesty." M'kan stammered. "I-I am willing to pay in land if I must..."

"That may not be necessary, M'kan," the wyrm said dismissively.

The equine had a puzzled look on his face, then his eyes widened as he pointed to the young little wolf to come from her hiding place behind his pet.

"I want to look at you, come here," Domar ordered.

The pet hastened to pull the little one from behind him and he presented her to the King, before taking a step back, almost relieved he was not the one being spoken to. The wyrm looked over the little wolfess, almost as you would look over a prize animal, then nodded his approval, while M'kan's daughter writhed in her mother's grasp to be let go.

"This one will do well, who is the pet training her? Ah, him, I will take him as well for your payment, lord M'kan."

"But-but sire!" the equine protested. "The price of a pet is more than-"

"Then take the extra out of next year's payment. I have made my decision." The dragon tossed his head lightly and dismissed the little wolf before turning to M'kan again. "Now then, I believe that you said something about a feast?"

Derian-led Kersan(smash48@sbcglobal.net) helped me with this chapter ^..^