The next day ... The day had started well enough. Felix had got out of bed, enjoyed a soak in the bath to limber himself up for the day, and went to breakfast with his parents and little brother. His tailhole still felt tender from the vigorous sodomy a few hours earlier, so he sat gingerly upon his seat, wincing now and then as he shifted position. “Is something wrong, Felix?” his mother asked, pausing with a forkful of vegetable frittata halfway to her mouth. “Did you hurt yourself?” “Yeah, you could say that,” the boy replied, managing to meet her gaze while thinking about Vedo’s cock driving into his body. “Sat on something.” The elder mouse shook her head, tsking. “You were always the more clumsy one out of the two of you boys,” she said, smiling to take the sting from her words. Then she reached over to Rupert and batted at his hand. “Rupert, just eat and stop playing with your food.” “I don’t like eggs,” the younger mouse said with a pouty expression, pushing the half eaten remains of his frittata around his plate. “You liked them yesterday. What’s different today?” Rupert opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by his father. “Rupert Erasmus Victor, eat your breakfast or you will spend the day in the armoury polishing the rust out of every sword.” The lion’s voice was calm but the tone of command was unmistakable. “Yessir.” Rupert stared at his plate, not daring to look at his father, and started half-heartedly shovelling the food into his mouth, as if trying to get breakfast over and done with as fast as he could. Felix sympathised with him; he’d gone through the same rebellious phase and learned quickly that the use of his full name meant that he was stepping onto Dangerous Ground. When the meal was finished and the table had been cleared, the King cleared his throat. “Felix, please see me in my office after your morning classes. Your mother and I have something to discuss.” Felix froze as he rose from his chair, his mouth suddenly dry, his heart pounding. Being summoned to his dad’s office wasn’t out of the ordinary, but the presence of his mother was. “Uh, yessir.” He fumbled through his classes, finding it difficult to focus on his language lessons, which he usually enjoyed, and the rather more dreary statecraft which followed. “Are you feeling all right?” his statecraft tutor asked, after repeating a question too many times. “You’re much more inattentive than usual.” “Sorry,” Felix replied, shaking his head. “I’ve a meeting with my parents after this class, and I’m worried about what it might be about.” “Ah, I see. Well, since we have only a few minutes left anyway, I’ll let you go early to prepare yourself. Go on, Felix. I’m sure it can’t be that bad.” Now Felix stood in front of the ornate double doors that led into the Blue Room, where his father preferred to handle personal matters. He nodded to the guards that stood on either side of the door, and they leaned in to pull open the heavy doors. Felix walked into the room, pausing briefly to let his gaze wander around the expanse. The room’s walls were papered with a variety of tints and shades of blue, with silver and gold accents to break the monotony. Plush couches and armchairs sat against the walls, leaving the floor leading up to the solid mahogany brick of a desk clear of obstacles. Felix felt very aware of the psychological effect the room’s length had on him as he strolled up to the desk, trying to not show how nervous he was. Both of his parents, King Horvath II and Queen Stefania, sat behind it in gilded chairs, the king’s chair just that little bit fancier and surmounted with a stylised crown. They had changed into more formal attire, Horvath wearing a navy-blue suit with a red and gold sash running diagonally across his body, and his wife a pale cerulean blouse with a diamond star brooch. Their expressions were unreadable, though his mother had a hint of a smile. He stopped just short, crossing his hands in front of him. “You wished to speak with me?” “You’re almost seventeen now,” began the lion, leaning forward to rest his arms on the desk’s edge. “Almost an adult. As such, you’re of an age where one may consider marriage. I’ve had reports that you seem to be getting on well with the Wodrai princess. Gitte, was it?” The moisture in Felix’s mouth evaporated when he heard the word ‘marriage’, and after the sudden moment of panic it took a few seconds for his mind to catch up with what Horvath had asked. “Um, yes, I guess so. We seem ... evenly matched. We like each other.” He tried to keep his arms and legs still, despite the urge to start fidgeting and shuffling. He had been caught totally off guard, and the thought of a union with the otter princess looming sooner in his future than he’d anticipated had his nerves in an uproar. “Excellent!” Horvath’s expression brightened and he clapped his hands upon the desk. “I have been in communication with Emperor Sirta, and he is eager to join his family to ours for the mutual benefit of both nations.” “Uh, that’s great!” Felix plastered a smile on his face while his panicked brain tried to collect itself. “How, how, uh, how soon?” he stuttered. It was the queen’s turn to speak now. “We thought the Summer Solstice would be an auspicious date, with the ceremony in the Memorial Gardens. Space enough for nearly a thousand, was it, dear?” She directed the question to her husband. “Two thousand, I think. It’ll be the biggest event of the decade!” Felix felt faint. “The Solstice? That’s only a month away! Who plans a royal wedding in only a month?” His heart pounded so hard in his chest it felt as if it were hammering a hole through his ribs. “You’re crazy!” “Oh, the preparations have been underway for months, but we hadn’t nailed down the date until yesterday,” Horvath explained. “The devil’s in the details, you know.” “I’m glad you told me now. I would have hated to have found out on the day.” Felix couldn’t help replying scornfully. “Anything else you want to spring on me while I’m here?” “Well, it’s customary for the betrothed to exchange gifts.” Horvath reached into a pocket and pulled out a small red velvet box. “You will give Gitte this signet ring.” He placed it on the desk, and Felix reached out to take it. As he opened it, his father continued. “It belonged to my great-grandfather, Felix II. A polished stone of amber, set in gold. Inside the amber is a fossilised insect of some kind. It’s a unique gift, I think. He had a reputation for being eccentric.” “No kidding.” Felix examined the ring, trying to discern the identity of the fossil immortalised within. It looked like a dragonfly, but it looked quite different to those he was familiar with. He replaced the ring in its box and looked at his father. “Wait, you said betrothed ... are Gitte and I already betrothed?” “Not officially. That will be when you exchange gifts and sign the betrothal document tomorrow.” Felix’s eyes snapped wide open. “Tomorrow?” he squeaked, aghast at this revelation. Events were moving way too fast now, and Felix felt quite adrift, spun around in the turbulent eddies of a life turning upside-down. This was not how expected his day to go. “Yes, tomorrow, at noon.” “I, uh, need some time to prepare.” The panic Felix had experienced initially had been replaced with a mix of despair and determination. “This is a lot to digest.” Horvath smiled and leaned back in his chair. “Take the rest of the day for yourself. I’ll send notes to your tutors that you’re excused for today and tomorrow.” Felix nodded, looking down at the ring box he still held. He slipped it into a pocket and glanced up his parents. “Am I excused?” “Yes, you may go.” “Thank you.” Felix turned to leave, then paused. After a few seconds he turned back and went around the desk to embrace his father, then his mother. “I love you.” Both looked startled; Felix wasn’t usually one for physical contact or expressing emotion, especially as a teenager, but they leaned into the embraces. “We love you too, Felix,” Stefania replied, giving her son a peck on the cheek. Felix walked back to the doors, his footsteps lost in the spongy royal blue carpeting. He rapped smartly to be let out, and as the doors opened he half turned to regard his parents. Tears prickled in his eyes, and he quickly hurried away towards his chambers. Once he was safely in the confines of his bedroom he flopped onto the bed and broke down. His chest heaved with wracking sobs as he muffled his distress in his pillow, gradually soaking it with his tears. ~.~.~.~.~ Vedo found Felix some time later, somewhat calmed down. The prince sat on the edge of his bed, turning a small velvet box over and over in his hands. He looked up when Vedo entered. “Hey, Vedo.” His voice sounded a little croaky. “What’s up, hon?” Vedo slipped an arm around his companion and pulled him into a hug. “What’s that you have?” Felix flipped the box open to show off the ring hidden inside. “It’s a ring that belonged to my great-great-grandfather. I was named for him. Looks nice, doesn’t it?” “Yeah, it’s ... unusual.” Vedo held the ring up to the light coming through the window. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” He handed it back to Felix. “Why do you have it?” An uncomfortably long silence followed before Felix replied. “It’s my betrothal gift to Gitte.” His voice now sounded flat and unemotional. He replaced the ring, paused a moment then snapped the box shut. To Felix, it represented the slam of a door, forever closing off the relative freedom of childhood and locking him into a relationship he didn’t want any part of. “Shit.” The two lovers sat together, not speaking, one brooding, the other providing a solid support. “What will you do?” Vedo asked, barely above a whisper. Felix shook his head and sighed. “I don’t know. Go through with it, and be unhappy for the rest of my life, and be hounded for not being able to have children, or ... disappear, never to be heard from again. Or jump off the battlements, but I’d rather not do that.” He looked into Vedo’s eyes, as if searching for a solution in their depths. “What do you think?” “Jumping to your death would certainly be a dramatic way to express your displeasure. I don’t want you to do that.” Vedo stroked a finger down Felix’s cheek. “A wiser person would tell you to put the needs of the many ahead of your personal needs. Do what’s good for the kingdom, not yourself. However, my personal opinion is that you should do what makes you happy in the long run. There are precedents of royals giving up their claim to the throne in order to be with someone they love, the kingdom be damned.” “Can you imagine the look on Rupert’s face if he were told he’s suddenly the heir presumptive?” Felix giggled, breaking the tension. “I’ve always thought he had it easy being my little brother, because he doesn’t have to worry so much about learning how to run a kingdom, diplomacy and all the boring stuff.” His expression turned serious. “You’re right. I should put the kingdom ahead of myself, but having a homosexual king will cause trouble later down the line. I really don’t want to be responsible for the kingdom going to seed because I’m not sowing my own.” “I know what I would do, but I’m also not the first-born prince,” Vedo said. “Whatever you decide, I’ll support it.” “Even if it meant never holding me in your arms again, kissing me, making love to me, filling me?” Vedo hesitated, chewing his bottom lip. “Yes. I want you to be happy, Felix, even if it broke my heart.” “And I want you to be happy. Could you leave behind your family, your friends and the only life you’ve ever known here if you ran away with me?” At this point Vedo got up and went over to the window. He leaned on the windowsill as he peered down at the city of Agmund, following the urban sprawl to the port at which several ships were being loaded or unloaded. One ship, black smoke billowing from its twin funnels, was leaving the harbour, bound for some unknown port across the sea. “When I accepted the commission to be your bodyguard, I swore that I would be at your side no matter what. If you were to run away, I would have to follow to ensure you didn’t come to any harm. If my duty took me to far off places, then so be it.” Felix joined his friend, looking out at the city. He then turned to Vedo and grasped his hands. Peering into his lover’s face he said with a tone of finality, “We leave tonight.” “That soon?” Vedo was startled. “We barely have time to prepare! Do you even know where you’re going?” “Nope! We can work that out on the way. We just need to find a place that lets us be together. And not Wodra – it’s too far north and cold even in the middle of summer.” “And you really don’t want to be there if you’re jilting their princess,” Vedo pointed out. Felix stared. “Oh. I forgot about that,” he said sheepishly. The horse shook his head. “This is why I have to go with you. You might have great ideas, but I have to ground them in reality. Since we’re both in this hare-brained scheme, we’d better draw up some kind of plan, or we’ll fall at the first hurdle.” The couple sat at Felix’s desk for a while in quiet discussion, interrupted only by a cleaner coming in to tidy the room. By the time dinnertime had rolled around, they had formulated a plan to at least get them out of the kingdom with a minimum of fuss. It was difficult for Felix to sit through his last dinner with his family. He tried to stare at each person without being obvious, fixing their faces in his mind. Nervousness and emotions rose within him repeatedly; a couple of times he had to take surreptitious deep breaths to try to calm down. “What’s got into you, Felix?” his father asked, eyeing his son quizzically. “Nerves?” “Yeah, and excitement.” It wasn’t a lie, exactly. In just a few hours, Felix would embark on perhaps the most exciting event in his young life, and it wasn’t what his family expected. “I can’t wait!” Both parents smiled and nodded. “It’s good that you’re showing enthusiasm, after our meeting this afternoon.” Felix didn’t say anything, pushing another forkful of food into his mouth. After dinner, Felix excused himself and hurried to his room. Vedo was there already, with a pair of large backpacks and a set of dark non-descript clothing laid out on the bed. “I picked up some basic supplies. They should keep us going for a few days, at least until we’ve worked out some more concrete plans.” “Good.” Felix smiled and hugged his friend. “I could never do this without you.” “I know.” Vedo kissed the top of Felix’s head. “Have you decided what to write for your parting words?” “Sort of. It’s not my strong point.” He went to his desk and withdrew two sheets of letterhead paper from the top drawer. “Maybe you can help me?” It took several attempts and failed shots into the wastepaper bin before Felix had written a pair of letters that passed Vedo’s scrutiny. They were short, so as not to belabour their points. Gitte’s was perhaps easier to pen. In it, Felix expressed his regret that he had run away not from her, but from the commitment to a relationship that would never work, and that in better circumstances he would still continue the friendship they had established. After some serious thought he also admitted to the existing romantic relationship that he had with Vedo, asking her to keep it to herself and certain trusted individuals. “Her culture has few stigmas on same-sex relationships, so I think she would understand,” Felix said, explaining his decision. The letter to his parents was much harder to write. To my beloved parents, it began. It pains me to write this, but I feel I have no other option. As much as I love Gitte, we could only be friends at best, and for various reasons a marriage between us would not be sustainable. I have decided that it would be better for me, and for the kingdom, if I were not around. I hereby renounce my claim to the throne of Enoria and all privileges the position conveys in favour of my younger brother Rupert. Long may he reign when his time for ascension comes. Goodbye, and farewell. Love, your son, Felix. “Good enough, although the way you’ve phrased it makes it sound like you are jumping off the battlements,” Vedo mused critically. “Perhaps that’s for the better.” Felix cast his gaze over both letters one more time, then slipped them into envelopes. He wrote ‘For Gitte’ on one, and ‘For the King and Queen’ on the other. “Should I just leave them on my bed to be found in the morning? I sort of don’t trust anyone to not read Gitte’s, though. Maybe I should deliver it myself.” Vedo hmmed, rubbing his chin. “Get a servant to deliver it to her lady-in-waiting with an instruction to not open it until the morning. That should suffice.” Felix rang for a servant and gave the gangly youth that appeared Gitte’s letter. Once the servant had gone, he leaned back in his chair and sighed. A range of emotions battled for supremacy in his body: excitement, anticipation, nervousness, dread, regret and probably more that Felix couldn’t put a name to right now. He looked up at Vedo, who sat on the edge of the desk. “How do you feel?” The horse considered the question carefully. “Nervous, mostly. I’ve never done anything like this before, and I’m afraid that something will go wrong.” “Yeah, I’m the same. And we’re both sad about leaving our families behind, right?” Vedo nodded, his expression neutral, but the corners of his mouth turned down. “I promised I would keep in touch as best I could, at least let them know I was still alive and was hopefully doing well. They’ll keep our secret, Felix.” “Wait, you told them?” “They’re pretty liberal, Felix, and they already suspected we were a hot item. They’ve kept it to themselves for over a year, not wanting to intrude and get us in trouble.” Vedo smiled then. “Mum and Dad were strangely happy about it. Little sis, not so much. She won’t have anyone to give her piggyback rides.” He got up and went to one of the packs. “They actually gave us a bit of money. Enough to get us on a ship, I think, maybe some supplies too.” He opened up a pocket and pulled out a purse, emptied out a variety of coins and notes. “About fifty crowns, give or take.” “Wow, that’s great!” exclaimed Felix. “I’ve got a little bit of money myself. I’d raid the petty cash, but I don’t know where that’s kept.” “Probably a good thing, considering your spending habits. I’ll be managing our money, if that’s all right with you,” Vedo said with a pointed glance at Felix. Felix hmmphed. “Fine. Anyway, what are we gonna do while we wait? I’m so ready to get going already!” “Patience, young one.” Vedo’s smile just slightly edged into a smirk. “It’ll be easier to sneak out when there aren’t so many people still awake.” He reached into another pocket and pulled out a pack of cards. “I think we’ll be playing cards a lot in the near future, so we’d might as well start honing our skills now.” For Felix the hours seemed to crawl by. Every time he looked at his bedside clock it appeared to have advanced only a minute or two. Vedo was much more sanguine about it, staying calm and apparently avoiding the jitters that were taking hold of his friend. Midnight drew closer, minute by minute. At five minutes to, Vedo tucked the cards into his backpack. “Time to get dressed.” They removed their clothing and donned the less flashy garb Vedo had supplied. Vedo hmmed critically as he regarded Felix. “I might have overestimated your size. Sorry. The baggy look is in, though, if the dandies flouncing around town are any indication.” Tick. Tick. Tick. Felix watched the minute hand move inexorably towards its shorter companion. The moment they become as one, Felix hoisted his pack and slung it into position. “It’s go time.” He grabbed the letter and the ring box and placed them upon his pillow, before neatening the bed to make it more obvious that it hadn’t been slept in. He sighed heavily, giving it a gentle pat. “I’ll miss this bed. So many memories were made in it.” “I know, hon.” Vedo slipped an arm around Felix and hugged him. “And I’m glad to have been part of some of them. Come on.” They exited Felix’s chamber, but instead of heading for the main door Vedo led Felix to a large tapestry depicting some historic battle. He pulled it aside to reveal a narrow wooden door. “Through here.” Felix stared as Vedo opened the door, revealing a dark corridor beyond. “I didn’t know this was here! Where does it go?” “It’s a servant tunnel. Haven’t you ever wondered why servants just seem to magically appear and disappear, or why you rarely see them roaming around?” “Sometimes, but I thought they were just trained to be stealthy.” “Maybe some of them are, not usually. The castle is riddled with passages like this. It makes it easier for the servants to get around without being seen. I’ve used them sometimes as a shortcut. Or a great hiding place for Hide and Seek.” Vedo grinned at the sudden expression of chagrin on Felix’s face. “And now my secret is out.” He waved Felix into the passage, followed him to close the door behind. The passage was almost pitch black, illuminated only by moonlight peeking through narrow slits in one wall. “Hang on.” Vedo fumbled in a trouser pocket and pulled out a metallic tube. He pressed a button and a bright light shone out of one end, allowing them to see about fifteen yards ahead. “I’m so glad someone invented these,” he murmured, leading the way. “I’ve never seen one before,” Felix said, marvelling at this wondrous device. “What is it?” “I’ve heard it called a torch. Makes sense, I guess – it’s like the old torches that used to be fixed to the walls in metal rings, like that.” Vedo waved the light at a ring high up on the wall; it had rusted considerably over the decades or even centuries. “They’re a pretty new invention, and rather expensive. Have to use it sparingly – the batteries are heavy and still not too common.” The couple followed the passages this way and that, sometimes following the outer wall, sometimes delving deeper into the castle. Felix was thoroughly lost after only a few turns, and after several minutes he started to develop claustrophobia, not something he typically experienced. Only Vedo’s confident demeanour and lack of hesitance at intersections kept his anxiety in check. “If these tunnels are used by servants, why haven’t we bumped into any?” Felix asked, his voice reverberating oddly in the passage. “It’s after midnight, so most of them probably are in their beds, resting up for the long day ahead,” Vedo explained, turning left at another intersection. “I think we’re getting close.” “Close to what?” “You’ll see.” Felix fretted a while longer until Vedo came to a sudden stop at another door at the end of a corridor. This one was more sturdy, solid oak with iron bands holding it together, and a long bolt holding it closed. “If I’ve got this right,” murmured Vedo, “this should this open into the courtyard where tradesmen and supplies come. I’ve never come this way before, so I might be wrong.” He grasped the bolt and yanked it across. It moved without much protest, allowing the horse to pull it ajar and peek through the gap. “Hmm. Not quite right, but we’re close enough. I can see the gate’s open, and there’s not much activity. Come on.” Vedo switched off the torch and the two of them slipped out into the courtyard beyond. A chill breeze whiffled over Felix’s face as his eyes adjusted to the lack of light. Eventually he made out several doors in the castle wall, small storage outbuildings, a few guards on patrol. Thankfully they’d exited into a corner away from all but intense scrutiny. “Now what?” whispered Felix. The adventure books he’d read made escaping seem an easy feat, but the heroes had typically had more time to plan and prepare. What he was attempting now was almost on the spur of the moment, with not much room for error or explanation. “That, Felix, is a good question. Creeping around is not one of my strong points, let alone with someone else in tow.” Vedo dropped his pack, crouched and leaned his back against the lichen-clad stones behind him. After a minute’s reflection he muttered, “You know, we probably could have just strolled through the main gate and given some excuse like wanting to visit the night market.” “We can still do that, right? I think the market is nearer this side of the castle than the other? It’s a lot less fun if we don’t sneak, though.” Vedo shot his companion a withering look that was lost in the gloom. “Felix, no one ever took the ‘fun’ route when a more practical route was available.” He shook his head. “Besides, the guards would think it strange that we were heading to a market with already full packs. I don’t think they’d buy it if I said we just had a lot of old clothes and stuff to sell.” Something cold and wet hit Felix’s forehead, followed by several more impacts. He peered upward, squinting. He hadn’t noticed the sky was not its usual star-spangled self; it was instead obscured by ominous cloud cover. More raindrops ended their brief existence against his upturned face. “Oh, good. Rain.” “I could’ve sworn the forecast was for a fine night. Ugh. I hate getting wet,” Vedo opined. The haphazard spitting turned into a light drizzle for a few minutes before it settled into a more determined shower, whipped this way and that by a strengthening wind. “Look!” Vedo hissed, pointing at the gate. Felix narrowed his eyes, trying to see through the downpour. It took him a few moments, but he soon saw that the two guards that usually kept watch had retreated into the small room built into the base of the arch into which the gate was set. For the moment, there was no one watching the gate. Vedo cast his gaze over the courtyard. Anyone else who had been in the open had left for shelter, leaving the area empty. “Let’s go!” They ran as fast as the rain-slick cobbles allowed, splashing through numerous puddles until they were only a few feet from the gate, whereupon they paused for Vedo to ensure the coast was clear. He leaned close to Felix and whispered into his ear. “The guards won’t see us if we stay very low and crawl under the window just around the corner. They’ve made it easier for us by holing up in the same shelter. You go first.” Felix’s heart pounded in his chest. Despite the nervousness and the fear of being caught on his way out, it was also a great thrill. He dropped to the ground, began crawling. The wind blew right through the massive arch, driving rain into his squinting eyes. He risked a glance at the shelter’s door and saw it had been closed to keep the weather out. That made it easier. He hurried along, not stopping until he was well past the arch. A bridge support offered some cover while he waited for Vedo to join him. A minute later they were together again. “This isn’t how I imagined my first real adventure,” Felix commented. “Them’s the breaks. You’re in it to win it now. No going back.” Vedo squinted at the far end of the bridge, which connected to a street that ran around most of the castle’s perimeter. “I think we’re good to go. Come on.” Vedo made his move, heading off in a half crouch. Felix followed, slipping now and then on the cobbles. They made it to the street and paused again. “Which way?” Felix asked, looking back across the bridge at the huge edifice looming over the city. He found it difficult to believe that he was leaving, and that he might never see it or his family again. He heaved a deep sigh, suddenly feeling tears welling up in his eyes Now was not the time for regrets. He turned decisively to look at Vedo. “Hmm. I think we should head for the port and check timetables and make a plan from there. If we’re lucky, there’ll be a ship leaving soon.” Felix nodded. “Okay. Let’s do this.” The two of them set out in the direction of the port, trying to ignore the rain as it beat down upon them. They turned a corner, and Felix took the opportunity to catch one final glimpse of his childhood home before it disappeared from view. He hesitated a moment, then with determination matched step with Vedo. No going back, indeed.