No matter how dark the night may be, a new day will eventually dawn and light will shine upon the land once more, chasing away the shadows and the nightmares that plagued the night and opening space for new and pleasant dreams to come in future nights, which shall be illuminated by the lights of the stars and moon, unobscured by dark clouds of corruption and vileness. Such would be the words left by a scholar in a book as he described the days and weeks following the final battle of Armello. A kingdom who has been plagued by war, as the clans fought against each other and against the regimen of their previous king, taken by madness due to his infection by the rot and led to plunge his own kingdom in suffering and decadence. However, all conflicts must eventually come to an end. And so did the Great Armello Wars. And this end included the death of their corrupted king at the hands of the champion of one of the clans. And, with his death, the throne was vacant, and it was quickly occupied by the champion. The royal guards and soldiers, before bond to their loyalty to the previous, corrupted king, now had a new ruler to serve. A ruler to whom they bowed readily, as the death of the king meant that their loyalty now belonged to whoever sat on the throne after his departure. Many of them, in fact, where glad that their previous ruler was dead, and they could now pledge allegiance to someone who would not order them to commit atrocities led by madness and paranoia. And, among those orders, was to patrol the halls of the castle for any spies or assassins, as well as to fix the damage caused to the castle during the final battle. It has been days now, and the guards still dutifully followed the instructions of the new ruler of Armello. This showed that they were all accepting the new occupant of the throne as their rightful ruler, and that they would all fight and die for them, just like they were willing to do for their previous king. They were all fully loyal to Queen Amber. Yes, for the one to defeat the king was no other than Amber, from the Rabbit Clan. To say that this was not something most other clans had been expecting would be an understatement. However, this was reality. Amber had been the one to defeat and kill the king and take his place in the throne. Which meant that the Rabbit Clan was now the most powerful house in of Armello, as one of their own was the new regent. And the other clans wasted no time in trying to suck up to her so they could gain her favor. Including the Rat Clan. “Consider this a small welcoming gift.” Mercurio said, as he gestured to wards the open chest filled to the brim with gold coins and gemstones of priceless value. “A symbol of the good-will and support of the Rat Clan to the new ruler of Armello. And, perhaps, a symbol of a very healthy partnership for everyone involved.” Mercurio was never one to play sides. He had always been one to look after number one, so to speak. However, as a rat, he had a duty with his own house and kind, and this included coming in there once Griotte, the supreme madam of his clan, called him to her side. She did it because she knew that Mercurio had a connection with Amber. He had been among the ones who made it possible for Amber to ascend to the throne with his help and support. According to what she heard, Amber would not have made half as far in the Great War as she did was not for Mercurio’s help with his resources and connections. And Griotte thought this would make him valuable for her to bend the new queen to her whims. However... “Where did this came from?” Amber asked as she sat on the throne, looking straight at Mercurio. “Excuse me?” “What is the precedence of the contents of the chest?” She asked again, “Did they came from a vault? Or are they from... dubious origins?” Mercurio didn’t answered, and so, Amber turned her gaze to Griotte, who was sitting on her own throne, carried all the way there by four strong rats who were dressed in... let’s just say “minimal garments”. Seeing the gaze of the rabbit on her, Griotte eventually said: “Does it make any difference?” “It makes if this is not your own possession to give.” Amber said to the rat madam. “It makes if this gold belongs to the good people or Armello. If it does, then it must be returned to the rightful owners as quickly as possible.” Griotte looked at the queen with a scowl on her face. Mercurio, on his end, spoke: “Oh, come on, Amber.” He said, “Don’t tell me you care about a little thing like who owns-what-right-now. I mean, you have been a tomb raider for how many years? And didn’t we work together so many times in the past? Making each other’s pockets a lot heavier? I even helped you get the maps for the underground passages of the castle, for crying out loud! We should be pretty close at this point, right? Come on, where is the companionship between fellow burglars?” As he said that, Mercurio tried to walk to Amber. However, he was swiftly stopped by the guards standing at the foot of the throne, who pointed their halberds at the rat to make him halt on his tracks. “You shall not approach the queen unless given permission to do so!” One of the guards barked to the rat. “And you will show the proper respect to the ruler of the kingdom, rat!” Mercurio soon was backing away to the spot where he had been, raising his hands to show he was not armed. After a few tense moments, Amber spoke. “Mercurio, it is true that I have a past. Just like you. And, in this past, you and I have helped each other.” She spoke to the rat. “It is also true that, during the war, we continued to help each other, and your help was very precious for me. We had moments when we didn’t looked eye to eye, but in the end, you have helped me arrive where I am now, and I’ll forever be thankful for your support. As well as your friendship.” Then, in an action highly unusual for a ruler, Amber bowed her head ever so slightly to Mercurio, in a sign of respect. Then she straightened her posture, and continued: “However, this is still the past. Now I am the ruler of a kingdom. And, as the ruler, I must have the best interests of the people of the kingdom in mind. The people of Armello are looking at me to fix the damage caused by the deceased king, and I cannot afford to let them down. I will act on benefit of all of Armello, without favoring one or another part of the population over the other.” “That is why...” Amber concluded. “If this gold you are offering me has been taken from others on the kingdom, then I’ll be sure to have it returned to those whom it was taken from. That is the kind of queen I want to be, and I’ll make sure the whole kingdom knows this.” Griotte looked at her, and then she scoffed. “Are you being serious right now?” The rat madam asked, and the bunny sitting on the throne looked back at her. “Do you think I am not?” “Oh, please.” Griotte said, getting up from her own throne, causing the rats on the front of the wagon to struggle a little to keep balance with the shift in weight distribution. “You are not going to make a big deal of some gold that may or may not have been taken from someone who didn’t knew how to use it properly, are you?” “Are you admitting this gold is stolen?” Amber asked. Griotte was quick to answer. “It is gold! Why does it matter where it came from?” “Because gold coming from dishonest means would taint my honor.” To that, Griotte laughed, as if Amber just told a joke. “You poor foolish girl.” Griotte said, looking at Amber as she spoke. “You are a queen now! You are sitting on the throne! Are you seriously going to attain yourself to foolish little things? How old are you, five?” Amber said nothing, and she only continued to glare at the rat madam, who then said: “Sweetheart, those little stories of honor, justice and righteousness might make for good tales to tell the children, and good speeches of get some foolish idealists to side with you in moments of need. But, when you are sitting on the throne, you need to learn that those things are not as useful. You need to know when to toss those simplistic ideals out and focus on doing what you need to. Like forming alliances.” Griotte was looking straight at Amber’s eyes as she spoke those words. “That is, if you wish to stay on the throne... alive.” Immediately, the guards had weapons on their hands, and they were ready to charge at the rat who just threatened their new queen. However, Amber herself stopped them, with nothing more than a hand gesture. “Go back to your territory, Griotte, of the Rat Clan.” Amber said, with a firm and unwavering voice. She looked at the rat with a cold assertion that matched the venom on Griotte’s eyes as she glared at the bunny. “Return all of this gold to the rightful owners. This is an order from your queen. Then, if you still want to discuss an alliance, you can come back, with or without tributes, and we can discuss fair terms for the two of us. But, I’ll warn you as of right now...” Amber got to her feet, standing tall as she looked at the rat from a distance. “If you think I will favor your clan over any other clan of Armello, if your wish is for me to give you benefits that will be detrimental to all other inhabitants of my kingdom, then you should save both of our times and make this the last time you set foot on my cohort.” For a moment, Griotte bared her fangs, hissing at the bunny, who was completely unmoved, before she regained her composure, sitting back on her throne, and then saying: “As my queen commands.” With this, she made a gesture, and the rats carrying her all moved and started walking out of the throne room, while Amber herself sat back on her throne. Mercurio, on his end looked back at Amber and respectfully bowed to her before he rushed back to Griotte’s side, who was already half-way in direction to the exit on her rat-carried throne. “Well, it seems that the negotiations have broken down, haven’t they?” Mercurio whispered to Griotte, who gave him an evil side-eye, which caused the smaller rat to shrink a bit, before the madam sighed. “I was told that this Amber was smart.” Griotte said, “I swear I did not expect for her to be one of those righteous fools. Not after hearing that she was a tomb raider, and that she was friends with [i]you[/i].” Mercurio didn’t had a proper answer for that. He knew that there were probably few answers that he could give right now that would not get Griotte to pull out her cleaver and chop him off to be served as her dinner later on. So, he only asked: “What now?” “We bid our time.” Griotte say, “We wait a little and then we try coming to her again. Maybe miss I-am-a-correct-and-righteous-queen will be more willing to listen to me after she has had to deal with politics for a few weeks. It will certainly be easier to bend her after she’d seen just how though running a kingdom is.” “You think little of her, don’t you, Madam Griotte?” Mercurio asked, “I mean, you must not forget that she was the one who ascended to the throne in the end.” “Mercurio, my dear, you are the one who thinks way too highly of that little girl you call friend.” Griotte said, the disdain clear on her voice. “She might have, by some miracle, managed to be the one to ascend to the throne but she is clearly not cut out for it. She will cave in at some point and, when she does, I’ll be there to pick up her pieces and turn her into my little puppet. At least until I can fully replace her as the queen.” Griotte spoke as if she was sure of every word she was saying. “She is just a bunny, after all.” Griotte said those words as she made her way with her entourage out of the throne room. She completely failed to take into account how big and sensitive a rabbit’s ears were. Sensitive enough to pick up clearly a conversation happening three hundred feet away. Amber’s ears, in particular, were quite sensitive to whispering. She clearly heard every word Griotte traded with Mercurio about their new queen. She remained impassive as she sat on the throne. However, those words certainly got to her, even if they came from someone like Griotte, to whom she had little to no respect at all. For years, bunnies had been looked down upon by most other species of the continent. They were not predators like the wolves and the bears. They were not strong like the bulls. They were not cunning wizards who were not afraid to delve into the Rot and turn it into a weapon on their favor, like the lizards. And they were certainly not cunning and deceptive like the rats, who were able to prosper at the costs of everyone around them. They had speed and intelligence, but so did many other species of the Armello. They were small and weak, and they were no match for bigger and stronger species out there. No matter how much they tried to, it was hard for them to ever be taken seriously by the others, who only saw them as shy and spooked, even though some of them could be great warriors and military geniuses. They looked at them, and all they saw was a whole clan of small animals who would rather run and hide than to face the truly stronger animals of Armello. They didn’t truly saw warriors among them. And they certainly didn’t saw rulers. [i]So, it should come as no surprise that they don’t see a queen in me...[/i] Amber thought as she sat on the throne, allowing herself to look down and wallow on her own self-pity. But only for a moment, until she reminded herself that she was now the queen of Armello. She might have had help to arrive where she was now, but she did, and now that she was on the throne, she needed to remain strong. Especially with the likes of Griotte, who would want to try and take advantage of her, and who would be plotting against her to steal her newly acquired throne. She needed to remain strong. Or at least look like it. Armello needed it more than ever. The kingdom was still recovering from the civil war it has been plunged for over four years, as well as from the misery and famine that the poor people suffered due to the decisions of the deceased king driven insane by the Rot. The whole kingdom needed a strong ruler, and they were all looking for Amber to be this ruler. She knew that she could not fail the people now when they counted on her. And she also knew that there were those, like Griotte, who were hoping, expecting, for her to fail. Expecting for her to fall and allow them to have the chance to seize the power they were not able to take for themselves by killing the king and stealing his throne from under him. They probably assumed that stealing it from a bunny would be so much easier. Between the people who were looking up to her hoping she would be the one to save their kingdom from ruin, and the many who would use her failure as the leverage they needed to ascend to the throne on her place, and on the recent assassination attempts against her, Amber was starting to feel the pressure that came from the weight of the crown she now bore on her head. She could feel herself being pushed down by it. She could feel herself starting to rip at the seams. It was too much for her. Maybe they were right. Maybe Griotte was right. Maybe she was not cut out for this. Maybe she was not the ruler Armello needed. “My queen.” Said a voice, which snapped Amber from her reflections and back into reality, making her look at the knight that stood down on a knee before her. “Yes?” Amber said, looking at the knight, whose features were hidden behind a helmet. He then looked up to her and spoke: “Your majesty, I know that Lady Griotte was supposed to be the last meeting of today, but there is another visitor who is requesting a meeting with you.” Amber looked at him. Was it another noble wanting to cut a deal with her to benefit their party? Or to try and kiss up to her to gain favor? Or was it someone else wanting to make demands by threatening her? Amber was so tired of this, and she has only been on the throne for a week... “Tell them to come back tomorrow, I am too tired to deal with any more visitors today.” Amber said, but the knight, much to her frustration, told her that this visitor was insisting to seeing her. “Who even is it?” Amber said, more to herself than to the knight. However, he did answer to her question as if she was talking to him: “Prince Thane, of the Wolf Clan.” Hearing that suddenly made Amber’s mood to change. Suddenly, she felt like receiving one last visitor for the day. “Bring him in.” She said, straightening herself into her throne, and the knight bowed to her, before leaving and then, just a minute later, coming back with the visitor. Thane walked in with his combative, formed by his loyal follower and friend River, with her bow ad quiver on her back, by his right, his brother Fang by his left, and with two strong wolves in armors coming right behind carrying spears. As the wolf prince walked to Amber, he smiled, a smile that she returned, before he went down on a knee before her. “Queen Amber...” He said to her. “Thank you for receiving me in your cohort.” He said that on the most respective and formal way. Amber looked at him for a moment, and then she got up from the throne, rushed down the steps and practically tackled him as she pulled him into a hug. Thane, like most of the presents, was surprised. However, he soon was returning Amber’s hug. His [i]friend’s[/i] hug. Yes, for they were friends. They might not have started as such, as they crossed paths while Thane was traveling across Armello with the goal of curing himself of his Rot, and Amber nearly got on the way of his mission. However, she did, in the end, became a very important person to him, as they traveled together across Armello for nearly a year, and they lived many adventures on their way there. If it was not for Amber staying by his side, Thane would have died several times. Worse yet, he would have been corrupted by the Rot and ended up like his own brother, who they crossed paths with during their travel. Amber managed to save them both. She managed to get both Thane and Fang into the forest of the ancients together. She had them both taken to the mysterious inhabitants of that forest, who them proceeded to purify both from their corruption by the Rot. From there on, she had Thane’s eternal gratitude, what translated on his full support, and consequently of his entire clan, on her campaign to take down the king, which eventually ended with Amber herself ascending to the throne. Yes, Amber would never had gotten as far as she did was not for Thane’s support. She would not even been alive was not for him being by her side, facing the King with her and even shielding her from a fatal blow from his blade so she could have the chance to kill him. For over a week, she had been worried with Thane, for she did not had any news from him, and because she knew from back then that his wound was serious. Which was why she was so happy for seeing him again, and for knowing he was fine. She invited him for a meal with her, and Thane immediately accepted, as he certainly felt like he could eat after the travel all the way there. Both dismissed their respective guards, so they could eat all alone so they could speak in privacy. But, not before Fang helped himself on some of the food that could be offered in a palace like that, much to River’s annoyance and to Thane’s amusement. It was just so good for the wolf prince to see his brother acting like he did before the Rot took a hold of him and affected his mind. He was so glad to have his dear older brother back, and he would forever be thankful to Amber for having helped both find cure and absolution, and for allowing them to be united as brothers once more. They talked as old friends, as both enjoyed the meal they were having and some wine to help ease their tensions. However, as the talk progressed, the two of them soon started to tackle on more serious subjects. “I don’t know if I can do this, Thane.” Amber confessed. She allowed her guard to go down as she talked to him. She truest him enough to do so. “I don’t know if I can be the queen Armello needs. Perhaps you should have been the one to become king. You certainly would make a better ruler...” Thane listened to her, but he shook his head. “I had never wanted to be king.” Thane said. “My main worry was to heal my Rot and to protect my clan. I already did one of those things...” Thane looked at his left arm, the one that once was the center of his Rot corruption, but that now was completely healthy, no longer hurting or throbbing in any way, making it seem that there was never any infection to begin with. “But, that’s not to say that things have improved massively for my clan...” Thane said, “Armello might be at peace, but we still have enemies who want to see us fall. Threats to our existence that could wipe us out if we lowered our guards long enough.” He was silent for a while, and he sighed. “Threats that could only be warded off by the shadow of the crown...” There was silence between the two of them, before Amber finally spoke again: “So, we both agree that it would be better if you had been the one to become king.” They looked at each other, and Thane apologized for making it sound like that. However, Amber told him that it was okay. “I would give you the crown right now if I could, Thane.” Amber said to him. “But, all the eyes of my people are on me right now. They see me as their promise for a better future, and I could never betray their trust by just surrendering the throne after only one week as the queen. I would never be able to live with myself if I let them all down and betraying the faith the placed on me...” Thane nodded at her. “I fully understand... and I would never ask you to do such thing...” He said to her. “But, I do want to be the one to support you and remain by your side. So... I guess this arrangement will actually be advantageous, in the long run.” Amber blinked. “Arrangement? What arrangement?” She asked, and that surprised Thane, who only looked at her. “You... you don’t know?” Thane asked her, and he soon confirmed that she knew nothing about any arrangement. Thane was positively surprised, shocked even, that Amber really didn’t knew about it. He then told her that, one week ago, right after she took over as the queen and Thane was taken back home to have his wounds treated, there was a meeting between the wolf and rabbit clans. The wolf clan had been hoping that Thane would be the one to take the throne, and the fact that he didn’t became a setback on their plans and expectations. Meanwhile, the rabbit clan was worried that the one of their clan to take over as the new ruler had not been one of their most promising members. As a result, both clans were quite worried with their respective futures. The wolves were worried about Thane not being the one to become king would mean that their future was not secured, while the rabbits were worried that Amber would not be able to protect her new position. “That was how they ended up coming up with an agreement between the two clans.” Thane explained to her. “They took advantage of the fact that you and I formed a bond during our travel, and that we basically owned our lives to each other after all of the trouble we went through together. They decided that an... alliance between our two clans would be the most advantageous for everyone. That it would allow us to support each other during the tribulations that still lie ahead and protect the interests of both our kinds.” Amber had been listening to it, and she was surprised for hearing that something like this had happened and she had just not been informed. I mean, she was the queen! How come she didn’t hear about something like that? About her own clan making an agreement with another clan that directly involved her? She would need to work on a better communication channel with her clan in the future... “So... the idea is for us to have each other’s support and favor through this agreement?” She asked, taking in all the information that was just dumped on her out of nowhere. “And, what kind of alliance are we talking about here?” Amber asked of the wolf prince. “Do they want you to make you my vassal? My knight? My councilor?” Thane could only look back at her. “They really haven’t told you anything...” He said, and he nearly seemed sad. Nearly as if he felt bad for having to dump something like that on Amber’s lap when she already had so much on her plate. After a while more, Thane let out a sigh, and he told Amber all the details of the agreement that both her clans had come up with. “Baffled” doesn’t even describe to describe how Amber felt as she knew the whole thing... 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[center][i]Months later[/i][/center] The castle of Armello had not yet been fully repaired, but it was certainly way better than what it was like after years of warfare. The walls had mostly been reconstructed, and the aura of weariness and uncertainty brought by the mere presence of the maddened, Rot-tainted king was completely gone. This all made the place more welcoming to whoever came in there as a guest. What was good, because it meant that all the ones coming forward for the great event happening on the castle felt more at ease. It would be hard to celebrate if they didn’t. All the animals coming to the castle would gather on the main temple of the castle, normally saved for religious ceremonies, coronations and knighthood and vassalage rites, was soon filled with guests, all of them wearing formal garbs. Most of said animals were either wolves or rabbits, but there were animals of all species gathering there, most connected to the two animals who were at the center of said event in some way or another. One of them was already on the altar, dressed up in regal garments of indigo and purple, a necklace resting around his neck, and his sect standing by the side, all of them his loyal men and followers, all of them standing solemnly by the side of their prince as Thane waited at the altar, as well as everyone, for the other animal who was an essential part of this entire ceremony. And soon, she was walking into the room, and this gathered the eyes of everyone. Including of Thane. “Wow...” the wolf said in a low voice as he saw her coming, taking in how beautiful she looked. Those new clothes surely suited her, and the artisans who made them deserved a round of applause. The white and golden tissue was woven so delicately and complexly that one could have the impression that they must have taken years to finish it, instead of just a few weeks. They certainly looked like the clothing of a queen. Armello’s queen. Amber walked on the room, with her dress undulating with each step she took, the long back part of her dress being carried by a few smaller servants who walked behind her with their heads bowed in reverence, and her crown glistening on her head as she made her way to the altar where Thane and the priest both waited for her. She stopped before it, and Thane offered her his hand. “My queen...” He said, and Amber looked back at him, before taking his hand. The wolf held it with all gentleness of the world, perhaps one demonstration of how he intended to be kind and supportive to her on the times to come. Not that he didn’t already gave her a lot of reassuring that he did since he first told her about this arrangement and asked her if she would want to be part of it. And she did. The fact she was even there was enough proof of it. She was in there for she had decided to go along with this whole arrangement, even if it was something sprung on her out of nowhere, she reflected on it, and concluded that it was the best solution, and she had the impression that Thane knew it as well. So, without further delay, they both stood before the priest, who then started to officiate the royal wedding between Queen Amber and Prince Thane. Marriages between members of different clans, of different species, were something very rare, even in a place like Armello, where all kinds of creatures gathered together. It was just not something that usually happened, for someone to form a union in holy matrimony with someone of a kind different of their own. They could become lovers. They could flirt, and they could even fornicate. However, for them to take on a holy vow and become husband and wife was something rare to happen. In part because of the taboo associated with such unions, as many still believed that this kind of union should only be with their own kin. But still, such unions happened. Either by love or by necessity. They were not common, but they were definitely not unheard of. Although unions between a prey and a predator came close to being unheard of, as there were only two of those cases in the whole story of the kingdom of Armello. Three, now that, for the first time, such union was happening to the kingdom’s ruler. As they stood before the altar, the bunny and wolf stood before each other while holding each other’s hands, the priest spoke the sacred words, saying how they, upon this union, united their souls and their respective clans, forming a bond that should persist until the day that both of them were to drawn their last breaths upon the world, and that such bond should never be taken lightly, and should never be disrespected or desecrated, either by the groom or by the bride, as they were both expected to be respectful, faithful, and committed to each other, supporting and loving each other through good and bad moments, in prosperity and misery, sickness and health, in their moments of joy and of despair. “Queen Amber.” Thane said, once he was asked to make his vows. “I met you on one of the direst moments of my life. In such moment, you acted as a beacon of light for me, guiding me through the darkness, and saving not only me, but also my brother from completely losing ourselves. In doing this, you tied me to you in a debt that I shall beaver truly be able to repay. Now, I ask you to allow me to remain by your side, to be your pillar and your strength in whatever challenges lay ahead of you, through your glory and through your hardships, to forever be by your side, I vow.” Now, it was the queen’s turn. “Thane, brave prince of the Wolf Clan. You have supported me greatly during my travels and adventures. You supported me like few people did before in my life, all the way to this castle, where we had a quarrel with fate itself, in which you risked your life for me, and nearly lost it in order to ensure that I would live. You are more than a companion to me, you are my confident and my best friend. It will be an honor and privilege for me to have you stand by my side, supporting me and lending me your strength like you always did. In return, I shall love and protect you as well, as this is the absolute minimum I can do for everything you did for me, and for your willingness to remain by my side. So, for all tribulations we shall face together, be it in glorious our dreadful days, for our victories and our trials, to cherish and hold you for the rest of our lives, I vow.” With the vows said, the bride and groom placed rings on each other’s fingers, before they shared of a cup of sacred wine. “With this ceremony, your souls and destines are now forever tied!” The priest said. “I now pronounce you husband and wife! May the gods look after and guard you on your path, King Thane and Queen Amber, rulers of Armello! You may now kiss the bride!” And, with a single kiss, the ceremony was truly completed. The whole place erupted in cheers and applause, as everyone celebrated the royal union between the queen and her new king. Later, the new royal couple was sitting on a table. It was the afterparty, and all the guests on their wedding were there, congratulating them for their union, and wishing the two of them happiness and wealth on their union, as well as prosperity on their kingdom. Once more, the brownnosers made an appearance to try and kiss up to the king and queen, hoping that doing so would earn them the favor they needed to be able to prosper on the new era that was dawning on their recovering kingdom. And, among the guests, were some very important members of both the Rabbit and the Wolf Clans. They were gathered there specially for the marriage between two of the members of their clans, now king and queen of Armello. This had been their agreement, to have their most valorous prince to marry the rabbit that now sat on the throne, forming an alliance between their clans. The rabbits now had the support of one of the bravest, fiercest and strongest clans of carnivores of the land. Meanwhile, the wolves now had one of their own as the reigning king, even if this position was only given to him as a consort. This position would certainly be enough for the Wolf Clan to be protected of all their rivals, as going against them would now be, quite literally, going against the kingdom of Armello itself. This seemed like certainly the most advantageous for the two clans, which led them to make this unusual arrangement in the first place. And those who carried on such agreement, Queen Amber and the new King Consort Thane, were sitting proudly on their seats, one by the side of the other, as everyone congratulated them and offered many gifts in honor of their marriage. Soon, however, the party was over, as both the queen and king excused themselves, giving their guests the permission to continue with the feast as they pleased, as the two rulers ate their fill and now wanted some time for themselves. As they walked out hand in hand, some of the presents knew what this was about, as well as the two rulers knew well. It was time for the final step of their union. The time for them to consummate their holy union. It has come the time for the nuptial rites. And those, as it was to be expected, were to be done on the privacy of the royal bedchambers. “Are you sure you want this, Amber?” Thane asked of the bunny once the doors of the bedroom were closed and locked, and Amber now sat on the bed they were supposed to share from there on as the wolf stood before her. “We don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. We can just spend the night here and tell everyone that we did it. We don’t need to do it only because it is what others are expecting of us.” Amber looked at Thane, and she could see no ulterior motives on his features. This was not the wolf using some excuse to avoid having a nuptial night with a bunny because he thought it would be disgraceful for a carnivore such as himself to lay with an herbivore. This was him being thoughtful of her. This was a good friend and decent man who knew that this whole situation was not exactly something that the woman he was with wanted originally and saying that she didn’t had to give herself to him if she did not so desired. This was just how Thane was, respectful and considerate of others. Which was why Amber was happy that, if she had to marry someone else for the sake of her clan and kingdom, it was him. “We need to, Thane.” Amber said to him. “I hear how some elders of you clan said they would stay on the castle until tomorrow. If we don’t do it, they will know. They will feel the smell on us and they will know right away we didn’t consummated our union. You know well how sensitive the noses of your kind are.” She was right, and Thane knew it. He knew that the elders would be able to smell if they consummated or not. Especially the old Lukan. That old man could smell from someone’s breath if they ate garlic on their dinner form last night even if they were dozens of feet away. And, if they smelled them and realized that they had not done it, that they had not consummated their union on their wedding night, then there was a chance that the whole wedding could be invalidated. "It’s okay, Thane." Amber said to him, reaching out and holding his hands. The wolf looked back at her as she looked up at him. “We do this for our kingdom, as a symbol of our union as king and queen.” She then looked down, a blush forming on her features as she spoke: “And... to be fully honest, I always kind of... wondered what it would be like to do it with a wolf...” She ventured to look up, and she saw that Thane was currently sharing of her blush. At least this let her know that she was not the only one who was a little bit embarrassed with this whole situation. After a while more, the two of them finally made the decision to do it. Not only because it was their obligation in a moment like that, but also because they both wanted to, and they both agreed on it. The two of them were a bit awkward. Especially Thane, who, much to Amber’s surprised, confessed he was a virgin. Amber then decided to take charge and the wolf would follow her lead. For that, she started with the most basic to things like that: kissing. Luckily, despite his inexperience, Thane was no stranger to kissing. He gently pressed her lips on hers’, allowing the bunny to tenderly kiss him, before the kiss started to grow in intensity and intimacy. Becoming deeper and, gradually, more ardent, as Thane could feel Amber’s tongue running over his lips, and he then opened his mouth to allow her access. Their tongues touched, and soon they were dancing. Their kiss grew more intense, as the sensual action awakened a fire within the two of them. Their bodies recognized the signs. They recognized the tell-tale indications that something was coming. This intimate, deep contact in between them let their instincts know that they were on the road for the carnal union. They were both panting by the time they broke their kiss, a strand of saliva connecting their tongues, and glistening slightly into the light of the room. They both knew what to do next. They started to remove their clothes. They helped each other with that, as Thane undid his belt, allowing his pants to fall down his legs and stepping out of them, before Amber helped him with his tunic, until he was only wearing his linen loincloth. Thane then helped Amber remove her dress by pulling it over her head and dropping it to the ground, leaving the female rabbit wearing only her own undergarments made of delicate cloth akin to silk. They both looked at each other, and then they resumed kissing, sharing a little bit more of that passion, which awakened the fires of desire on their hearts and loins. By the time they broke the kiss once more, Thane’s loincloth was tenting, while Amber’s was starting to get wet. They were both panting. “Amber...” Thane said to her. “I... I want to try something... to please you...” Amber looked at him. “I never did it before but...” Thane said, “I read a lot of literature on the subject and... I think I can make you feel good.” He then reached for her face, gently touching her cheek. “My queen...” Thane said to her. “Please, allow your consort to pleasure you.” Amber looked at him for a few seconds, and then she gave him a simple nod. That was all Thane needed. The wolf got on his knees, and respectfully asked her for permission to remove her loincloth. She shifted her weight to allow him to pull the garment past her waist and down her legs, always doing so on the gentlest way possible. He eventually removed it, his nose twitched as he felt the scent coming from the wet spot on the garment, and Thane had to resist the urge to take it to his nose and take a deep whiff of the piece of clothing like a pervert. At least, until he realized that the source of that same smell was very close to him. “Please, spread your legs for me.” Thane said, as he gently placed his hands on her knees. Amber allowed him to spread her legs apart. This was Thane’s first time seeing a vagina up close, and the sight caused him to blush. The smell emanating from it, sweet with a sour streak at the bottom, caused his nose to itch and his mouth to water. The wolf caught himself swallowing the lump on his throat as he looked at it. He realized he was staring when Amber called for his name and asked if everything was alright. Thane quickly apologized and realized that he should not just leave his new wife waiting. He had duties as her husband, after all. So, with that in mind, Thane leaned forward, in direction to the source of that delicious smell. His body was trembling ever so slightly, his heart hammering on his chest as he approached more and more. That smell... was driving him crazy! Thane was trying so hard not to start panting right now. “Thane...” Amber said, a blush on her face as she felt Thane’s breath tickling her gender. That was when the wolf, blinking and with a blush of his own, decided to just go ahead and do it. He could not hold back a few pants as his opened his mouth and his pant lolled out of his mouth. Then, he leaned a little bit forward, and he gave a lick. It was slow and sensual, starting from the bottom and going all the way to the top. Amber shivered, biting her lip to keep herself from moaning too loud, instead letting out a “mmph!” as she felt her gender being licked by that broad canine tongue. Thane, on his end, nearly felt like orgasming once he tasted the flavor of Amber’s gender, which was unlike anything that the young wolf ever tasted before. His panting intensified. His tail was wagging now. He could not avoid it. It was involuntary, and it would be embarrassing in most occasions. However, right now, very ironically, Thane could not give two shakes of a tail about it. He just went for another lick. And then another. Thane lapped into Amber’s gender, each lick as sensual, slow and deliberate as the last one. Each one was meant to both savor the delicious taste coming from that gender and to bring more pleasure to the woman he was servicing with his mouth. Amber was letting out soft moans, calling out Thane’s name as she allowed the wolf to service her. She did, at some point, even started to hump, grinding her pussy against Thane’s muzzle as the wolf continued to lap at all the juices that came out of it, drinking them with the thirst of a man who has been lost in the desert for days. The sounds of their love filled the room, as they both continued what they were doing. Amber called on Thane’s name in earnest now, her hands holding on to his head as she continued to grind her gender against his licking tongue. She could feel his tongue going deeper and deeper into her, as Thane seemed desperate to taste more and more of her juices as they came out, and he soon seemed that he wanted to drink them right at their source. Amber let out a gasp as Thane’s tongue slipped in, forcing its way past the outer lips and licking the inside of her sex, touching all the deepest hidden parts of her body, over which only the men she chose to be with ever had access. Thane was now included on this list of men. He now [i]was[/i] that list of men. For he was her husband, and the only man whom she would ever allow this kind of access again for as long as their union lasted. And, considering how good he was showing to be, especially for a virgin, Amber didn’t mind it at all. A loud gasp escaped from her throat, followed by high-pitched squeals, as Amber peaked under the wolf’s ministrations. Her folds convulsed as she exploded with juices, which coated all of Thane’s muzzle. The wolf pulled back in surprise as those fluids squirted all over his face. Luckily, none of it got on his eyes, but his muzzle and snout were both drenched in fluids. His hands still held onto amber’s knees, which were shaking as she orgasmed, and then relaxed after the peak of her pleasure subsided. The bunny had closed eyes, and she was panting, her chest moving with the rhythm of her breathing as she caught her breath. This had been the most intense climax she had in a long time. She looked down on Thane. The wolf was looking up at her, still on his knees before her. His tongue moved over his muzzle, as he lapped on the juices staining it, still with an expression of drunken bliss on his face. However, there was something else about the wolf that was causing Amber to pay close attention to him. Something more interesting than his fem-cum soaked face. “Thane, Stand up.” Amber asked, and the wolf did as she requested, standing before her. She was in the perfect position to see the downright obscene tent on his loincloth. “My consort... My [i]king[/i]...” Amber said to him. Thane shivered and whined as her hand landed on his tenting bulge and fondled it gently. “Allow your queen to return the favor.” Thane looked down on her, and he could only bring himself to nod. Amber then hooked her fingers on the waistband of his loincloth and pulled it down. It was a little difficult, considering the tent that was forming, but she managed to pull the garment down, lowering it to his knees, and then just letting it fall all the way down to his ankles. The wolf now stood naked before her, and she could see all that she was dealing with. [i]He is so big![/i] Amber thought. She had seen her fair share of manhoods on her time. Thane, while not being the biggest she ever saw, was certainly not small by any means imaginable. Not with that pink, throbbing body with some veins in it, showing just how big it was. Not with that spear-shaped tip that looked like it would stretch her gender quite generously. Not with that long body that looked like it would reach deep inside of her like the dicks of few other of her previous partners have reached before. And it certainly was not small with that bulbous, throbbing ball of flesh at the very base. Amber knew a few things about wolf anatomy. She knew what a knot was, and what its function served. She knew its purpose was to lock with the female during the love-making act, and that it could keep them together for hours. Amber wanted to try it on herself. However, first things first. She held Thane’s dick on her hands and give it a few rubs. This caused the wolf to flinch and to whine a tad bit harder, but then he starts panting. His tail was wagging behind him as Amber pleasured him with her hands, before she guided the tip of his member into her lips and took it on her mouth. The moment she started sucking, Thane’s tail started wagging even harder, and the wolf panted even more. Amber showed that she was skilled in the arts of love, as she seemed to have no problem taking on his member on her mouth. She even managed to suppress her gag reflex a little bit, allowing her to take the member deep into her mouth without chocking. She could not take it all, with how big it was, but she was able to take a little over two-thirds of it, and she bobbed her head over it, sucking on it hard and wrapping her tongue all over it as she did. “A-A-Amber!” Thane said, his body tensing. He was fighting back the urge to grab Amber by the ears and starts pounding on her muzzle hard with his entire dick and eventually knot it. “A-Amber! I-I’m gonna...!” Amber already knew. She knew as she sucked that Thane was getting closer. She could feel his dick throbbing inside of her mouth. She could feel the copious amount of pre he was leaking on her mouth, which she had to swallow promptly. She could even feel the contracting of his balls, which she had been flicking on her hand as she sucked on his dick. She knew he would not last much longer. That was why she stopped, taking her mouth out of the dick, now covered in both his own pre and her saliva, glistening on the light of the candles that illuminated their bedroom and throbbing hard on the cool air of the night that came in through the windows of that bedroom. “W-why did you stopped?” Thane whined, looking down at her, and then she looked up at him. “We need to do this properly.” Amber said to him. “We need to consummate our union, and we need to do it all the way, Thane.” With this, she removed the last piece of garment she had, the sash around her chest. In doing so, she allowed her breast of a modest, but not meaningless, size bounce free. The sight of them caused Thane to blush harder. However, not as hard as when Amber leaned back, slowly laying on the bed and spreading herself bare to him. “My king.” She said, spreading herself to him, allowing him to see her naked form in all its glory. Her white fur was immaculate and spotless, a symbol of purity of the likes that one would expect from a bride on her first night with her husband, even with all the experience Amber had with men. “Please, make me yours. Claim your queen.” Thane was ready for this. However, as he looked at her bared body, he could not avoid feeling another lump forming on his throat, which he nervously swallowed before he started approaching Amber, climbing on the bed and standing above her on his hands and knees. She looked so vulnerable as she laid under him, looking at him with those sweet eyes. So cute... Thane’s dick throbbed hard between his legs as he looked down on her, and that was how he remembered that he needed to use it now. With his hand, Thane positioned his dick, maneuvering it until he felt the head resting against Amber’s folds. He looked back at her face, and she gave him a single nod, signifying that he could go on, and so the wolf did. Thane was very careful when penetrating, even though Amber reassured him that he did not needed be so careful, for she had experience with partners, some of them bigger than Thane. Now, that was not one thing that a woman would ordinarily say to her husband on their nuptial night. However, when it came to couples, Thane and Amber could be considered anything but ordinary. Thane moaned as he pushed his dick inside and, much like his tongue, it passed through the outer rim. Amber moaned with him, as she allowed herself to bask on the feeling of being penetrated. From there, everything proceeded as it was to be expected in a moment like that. Thane panted and moaned as he pushed in and pulled out repeatedly, sending his member in and out of Amber’s folds, as the bunny moved her body under him, moaning softly in accordance to his movements, which caused her pleasure. It was gentle at first, but soon, as minutes dragged as they continued their nuptial tradition, Amber moaned out for Thane: “Faster...” Thane was only happy to deliver. He started going faster, sending more and more of his manhood inside of her womanhood with each one of his movements, causing her moans to grow louder and more desperate with each thrust, and she continued to ask for Thane, her king and husband: “F-faster... Deeper... Harder!... Oh, Thane! I want it all! I want all of you! Please, take me!” Thane was moaning as loud as her as he was now pistoning his member in and out of her folds, holding her legs for leverage as he drove his manhood into her with wild abandon, the bulbous flesh on the base of his dick colliding roughly with her gender. “I-is that your knot!?” Amber said, “Shove it in! Knot me! Claim me! Make me yours, my handsome wolf! My king!” Thane did. He was unsure if it would be doable, but he still tried, mostly because he was so into the pleasure of the action that he was willing to listen to his basic instincts, that told him to knot the bitch he was fucking to make sure she would bear his pups. It was a struggle, and there was pain for both at some point. Thane because of the squeeze it was to try and fit part of his dick in such a small opening, and Amber because of how stretched she was being by something so big on her gender. However, the knot eventually made its way inside, with a *pop* that the two of them felt more than heard, and they both gasped, their bodies stiffening and eyes widening. Then, their eyes fluttered as both moaned. Then, after a second of pause, they resumed. The knot made it hard to move his dick inside of Amber’s gender, but he was still able to move it enough to shift his member inside of that opening, causing bursts of pleasure for both himself and Amber, enough to make them both moan like dying animals as they continued with their love-making session, their bodies drenched in sweat as they consummated their marriage. “A-Amber...” Thane said, looking at the rabbit. Before he could say another word, she advanced on him, locking lips with him once more, and soon, they were making out once more, moaning on each other’s mouths as they delivered themselves, body and soul, to the action they were performing. Then, they reached the point of no return. Thane’s tail stiffened as Amber’s legs wrapped around his waist and squeezed as hard as they could manage (what was not little) as they both reached orgasm nearly simultaneously, with the difference of only a single second between the rabbit’s orgasm and the wolf’s. Amber’s folds exploded into Thane’s crotch while the wolf’s rod spasmed and released his seed deep into her, overflowing her womb with his essence. The feeling of euphoria and elation was wonderful, like nothing they ever experienced before. By the time it was over, they finally broke the kiss. They panted as they looked on each other’s eyes, before they kissed once more. A tender, loving kiss from two lovers who just expressed the love for each other on the truest, most sincere way possible. They didn’t say a word. There was no need for words there. Amber only allowed Thane to scoop her closer to himself, carefully enveloping her with his arms as they got comfortable on the bed, sleeping really close to each other. They had not really a choice with Thane’s knot firmly lodged on Amber’s folds, making it impossible for them to separate each other. So, they slept. [center]************************************[/center] Thane was the first one to open his eyes in the morning. He blinked, staring at the distance for a moment, before looking down and seeing that white rabbit nestled safely on his embrace. [i]So... it wasn’t a dream... [/i] Thane thought to himself, as he continued to hold Amber. It was still dark, but not as much as it would be if it was still night. However, it was not as clear as one would expect. The soft twilight was not oppressive on Thane’s eyes. Thane moved on the bed, slowly spinning and laying Amber gently on the bed. He then made a test pull on his loins. His knot had deflated, and now he could pull it out easily. He was still extremely careful when removing it. His dick plopped out of Amber’s vagina, followed by a small spurt of his pearly-white semen. The wolf sighed, and then he got up, looking at the bunny laying on the bed, and taking in how beautiful she was. How frail and vulnerable she looked. However, he knew for a fact that the woman on bed was not frail nor vulnerable. She was a strong woman who persisted despite all odds and was now the queen of their kingdom. The queen of Armello. And Thane was her husband, what made him the consort king. [i]I... I am the king.[/i] This thought hit Thane harder than the blow of a bear’s paw and cut him deeper than the former king’s blade. Thane had never wished to be the king. This had never been his goal when he departed from his clan. However, that was his reality now. Thane turned away from the bed and walked to the balcony. He looked outside, with a hand resting on the threshold of the gate, as he watched the sunrise, naked as the day he was born, and he saw as the sun slowly lifted and started casting light over the kingdom of Armello. [i]His’[/i] kingdom. A kingdom that he was now in charge of ruling and watching over. A land he was now tasked with protecting and nurturing. A land that would look up at him and rely on him for their success and prosperity. And his failure would mean their suffering. Was that how Amber felt when she first fully realized she was now queen? For a long time, Thane remained where he was, as the sun rose higher from its hiding spot on the horizon, casting more and more of a light over the kingdom. The first rays of morning were accompanied by trumpets into the distance, as the sentries on the nearest villages sounded the morning signals to indicate to the people that it was time for them to get up from their beds and start their days. “Thane?” The voice made the wolf’s ear twitch. He didn’t turn around, but he knew that Amber was looking at him. “I was... thinking...” Thane said, and he said nothing more. He could hear footfalls. Amber was walking to him. The rabbit walked to the wolf’s side, still naked and with his semen leaking from her gender, but she did not care. She just stood by him, and then she looked out from the balcony with him. “The sight of this bedroom is beautiful.” She said to Thane. “I feel like you can see all the way to the very borders of Armello from here.” “I see...” Thane said to her, as he continued to look at the distance. “I assume it must be advantageous... for a ruler to be able to look from here and see every corner of his kingdom.” Thane had a look on his face as he said that. He sighed. “It is a great kingdom for a single ruler to look after.” Amber looked at him, and then she said: “Good thing there are two.” Thane looked at her, and she smiled at him. Seeing that smile on her adorable face, Thane was able to smile back. “Yes... yes, that’s very good indeed.” They didn’t say anything more, but Amber reached out for Thane’s hand, and held onto it. Soon, their fingers were intertwining, as the two of them looked at each other. This... this was new for both. It was not something that they had expected, at first. However, that was their situation now, and they were surprisingly happy with it. The two of them meant every word they said when they made their vows. They really wanted to be there for each other. To protect and support each other through all the challenges and hardships that laid ahead of their path. They wanted to be there for each other, and to share both the glories and the strife that came from ruling a kingdom. To share of the good moments and comfort and give each other strength on the bad ones. They were married now, after all, and they both wanted to make it work. With that in mind, the king and queen of Armello looked back out of their balcony, at the kingdom over which they both ruled. They were still unsure of what would be like for them in the future, but they would sure make the most of it.