Authors Note: All characters represented in this series remain copywrite their creators, and are included with permission.



Gordon stared blissfully over the serene valley, his eyes half-closed against the muted orange-gold hues of the rising sun. He smiled a bit as his nostrils detected the crisp, bitter aroma of the badolax coffee Athene was brewing, which Mistress Nicole liked so much. She would be up soon, he reckoned, and then they would be starting their travel. Out east. to the Witch Queen's tower.
Gordon shuddered at the thought, a shudder from this six foot nine 380 pound lapine a rare thing. His large ears perked at soft footsteps treading down the stairs and he turned, at once going to his knee at the sight of one of his loved Mistresses coming down from the sleeping rooms above.
Trace was willowy and diamphenous, a lovely creature of smoke and flames when she desired to be, the phoenix for the moment having shunted aside fanfare however for her regular appearance: battered black jeans and a combat t-shirt, hands stuffed into the pockets on her thighs. She made a face at the huge naked buck kneeling for her.
"Oh get up, Gordon. You know how much I hate that."
Gordon rose as commanded and smiled. "Good morning, Mistress. I trust you slept well?"
Trace skipped light-footed down the last three steps and smiled. "I did, yes. And the dinner you made last night was wonderful. Uh, Gordon?" Her eyes dropped down his chisled frame to between his legs, where his thick maleness dangled unhindered by clothing, "Why aren't you dressed?"
The buck bowed. "Per Lord Tristian's command, my lady. Athene and I were specifically instructed to do nothing but see to the morning meal of yourself and Mistress Nicole before anything else."
Trace made a face and waved a hand as she moved toward the kitchen, following the scent of heady coffee.
"Pah, Gordon. I don't think not getting dressed was what Tristian meant." A soft smile cruised across her face, despite her irritated tone. "Though the view is very nice."
Gordon smiled, and followed his mistress into the kitchen.

                                               ***

Yoiko watched Nicole grace about the room, seeing to the final packing. She folded her arms and flattened her ears, arms crossing as her only blood daughter paused a moment to tap Tristian's head with a fan to indicate he was packing the wrong articles in the wrong suitcase. Then Nicole turned and looked at her mother, and once again Yoiko was struck by the paramount beauty of her daughter.
  Nicole was barely four feet tall, the smallest member of the DeAllura family, but by no means the least. Her body was stocky and yet streamlined, a stunningly beautiful face and clear green eyes accentuated by flowing lines of silver hued cornrows.
"Yes, Mother?"
Shaken from her reverie, Yoiko bowed.
"I do not like the idea of you visiting your grandmother's tower, Miss Nicole. It's one thing entirely to commune with her as you did, but to actually set foot into that place...you are far to much like her. I worry for you."
A faint smile passed across Nicole's lips.
"You needn't worry, Mother. It's not my destiny to take her place." She turned to watch Tristian again. "If it were, I would have already been drawn to Corruption. I was not."
Yoiko tilted her head slightly.
"Be that as it may, there is nothing whatsoever to say that you *cannot* be. The fact that you are drawn to the tower to begin with raises a serious red flag for me, Miss Nicole."
Nicole looked over her shoulder, a faint trace of annoyance crossing her normally placid expression.
"You worry far too much. Trace will be with me, she is beyond corrupting. Her heart is the purest I've found in anyone, she will anchor me should the worst happen. And Tristian will be there as well."
Hearing his name mentioned, the shade elf looked up from his work and gave a pleased smile.
Nicole turned to Yoiko again and crossed the room, catching the lavender bunny's waist in a tight snug. 
"Everything will be fine."
                                              ***

Something was very, very wrong.
Carrot could sense it, deep down; instinctually. Even if her analytic mind refuted such feelings as trite, her instincts refused to.
She sighed lightly, hand on the flanks of one of the two stallions harnessed to the carrage. Behind her, the summer house was silent on the outside but she knew it was a bustle of activity on the inside. Faintly, she heard Athene's sweet, childlike laughter ripple from the inside of the home. Probably trying to play with Gordon's cock again, she thought.
She looked back briefly over her shoulder as if expecting to see someone emerge, but no one did. She looked forward again, toward the east. A chill spread through her elegantly dressed frame, and she unconsciously patted the horse. The animal whinnied to acknowledge her. She frowned.
Hayleh Alcott. The Witch-Queen.
The old stories floated through Carrot's mind; stories every lapine child was told by their mothers, it had become a cultural thing. A rite of passage. There but for the grace of God. The fallen noble, the one time slave turned genocidist, leading armies of lapines across the flowing feilds of Layleaux bringing death and destruction to wolves. Every lapine knew the name of the Witch Queen, savior to some. Demon to most.
Carrot sighed and shook her head. Nicole was brilliant she knew, but naive. Far too trusting in her own abilities.
Carrot was scared. She didn't like this one bit.
                                             ***

"All aboard!"
Athene's screech startled everyone, which sent the young mink into a spasm of laughter. Gordon snorted and lifted Trace up into the passenger seat of the carrage, then repeated the gesture for Nicole. He looked around, then, to be sure everything was ready. Seeing nothing amiss, he turned to the extremely well dressed elf at his side.
"All is ready, Lord Tristian."
Tristian's sharp eyes floated over the carrage and the luggage, to be sure everything was in place. He nodded and moved a slender lock of violet hair out of his eyes.
  "So I see. Good work, Gordon."
He saw Nicole, cuddled up with Trace against the morning's coolness smile faintly and knew what she was smiling about. It pleased him, that the sheer musical quality of his voice to ellicit such pleasure from his Mistress. He turned to Athene.
"Okay," he said, "We're going. Now remember, keep your celphone on. In case we need anything,.."
Athene giggled and slung her arms around Tristian's shoulders.
"...we'll call, and you tell Yoiko," she finished, then kissed him. "You be safe. Got your lightsaber?"
Tristian smiled and patted the slender metal tube clipped to his belt. "Yup. Trace has hers too, and I think Nicole brought hers." He dropped all pretense of professionalism and hugged Athene close to him, tightly.
"I'm going to miss you. Hopefully we won't be gone longer than a couple of months."
Athene smiled warmly and kissed her boyfriend again, afterwards pressing her forehead to his. "Fifteen days out, fifteen days back. I'll miss you too."
Tristian returned the kiss and held the mink's hands before glancing up to see both of his Mistress' eyes on him. He looked back at Athene.
"We'll be back before you know it. Take good care of Mom."
Athene smiled brightly. "I will!"
Tristian clambered abord the deep, heavy carrage and tucked himself into the seat besides Carrot, whom he noted looked very withdrawn and unsure. He gave the pretty black rabbit a snug and nodded to Gordon, whom had anchored himself in the driver's seat. 
"Okay G. Let's go."
Gordon smiled and snapped the reigns of the two stallions, which at once set off on a brisk pace down the cobblestone lane heading toward the dual sight of the rustic houses and gleaming ultra-tech spires of LayLeaux Town. Athene stood on the road, watching them go and waving frantically each time one of them looked back.
Trace smiled and wrapped her arms around Nicole, offering little kisses to the bunnymouse.
"Here we go," she said.

                                  End of Chapter One