Duncan pulled up to the cemetery entrance. His passenger patted his shoulder confidently as he stepped out the of the car. Duncan watched the man enter the gates with an umbrella over his head. �Damn rain. Can�t a guy mourn in peace.� He pulled the car into a parking space and stepped out.. He strode to the entrance and leaned his back against the brick and stone fence.. He looked up and let the rain hit his face. He didn�t whole heartedly mind the rain, it helped to take a great deal off his mind. Just the sound of it was enough sometimes to sooth him.
President Noah Adam Mahn looked back as his driver, Eclipse as he liked to be called did this, and smiled slightly. With all that one of his servants had been through it was nice to see him get to relax for a time. He pulled up the collar on his jacket and proceeded through the resting place. He stopped when he came upon an average sized cross of stone. On it, was the reason he had kept coming here in the first place for the last year and a half.
Rebecca K. Mahn Beloved Wife
Mahn placed a rose in front of the headstone of his wife. Removing his glasses, he pulled his hand down his face. �It�s starting to look like it�s actually getting better. Alpha, Conrad and Swift were excellent choices for North America, things are almost starting to gain a bit of normalcy around here, but.... it will never be completely normal again. I don�t know how many lives I�ve damaged, how many families I�ve destroyed, but I�m doing everything I can to make amends. It still feels like I�m falling short. I want to help, I want their equality, but I also want to avoid anymore conflict. Maybe Knight was right, life is like an endless waltz, the three beats of peace, revolution and war may beat endlessly.� A heavy sigh escaped his lips as his shoulders slumped. �I�ve missed you. Sometimes I still feel your arms around me. Your one wish was to see everyone, human and humanimal equal, living and working side by side in harmony. That�s been so hard, but I�m close, at least I think I am. Maybe Alpha has the answers I don�t. You were right about that too. The people are drawn to her and love her like she was governing them instead of me. My only wish is that she runs for the presidency after I�m gone. Just maybe through her, your dream could become reality. I love you, Rebecca.� Mahn closed his eyes sending a small prayer up to God for the soul of his wife, hoping she had found peace in eternity.
Suddenly, Mahn was pushed down as a rifle round barely missed him and sunk into the fur of a midnight blue fox that had just managed to get in front of him. A badger stepped from the shadows, Mahn would�ve run but the fox was still on top of him, and.... smiling?!? His paw turned as his eyes started to glow a deep blue, the rifle was pulled from the badger�s paw and into the fox�s. The fox snapped it over his knee like it had been a twig. The badger, not impressed, brandished his claws.
�I�ll kill him for what he did, my family, was destroyed, I can�t let him live.� The fox made no measure to move from in front of Mahn..
�I can not let that happen. If so, the world would be thrown into utter chaos once more. Fight me if you wish, but you will not take this man�s life..� Mahn shook his head. �He almost sounds like Knight Fox, but that can�t be him, he�s still serving Alpha. Wait, now I know..� Mahn smiled in recognition as the badger charged. The fox easily side-stepped the anger-driven swing and put five kicks into the badger�s stomach that looked like only one had been let off. Then dropping that leg he spin on the ball of that foot and came across the badger�s muzzle, breaking it and sending the badger into a tree. The badger�s head recoiled off the trunk and rendering him unconscious. The blue eyes of the fox faded as he looked to Mahn bowing in respect. �Brown eyes, now I�m sure of it.
��My apologies for the rough treatment, Mister President.� Mahn stood up dusting off his clothing.
�No apologies necessary, my young friend. I�m in your debt, yet still, I see a man I once knew in the one before me. You wouldn�t happen to be related to Knight Fox would you?�
The dark blue fox nodded. �I am the son of Knight Fox and Alpha Raye Craven. You may call me Midnight. Since you stated that you are in my debt, then I have a favor of you. Could I be one of your servants then? Without the notification of my father and mother?�
Mahn pondered it for a moment. The wound the rifle had made was already healed. �I see no problem in that, but one question, why not inform your family that you are alive and well? I�m sure they�d like to hear from you.�
Midnight nodded once more. �That they probably would, but then my mother would try to protect me. That�s not what I want, Mister President. I want to help as many as I can, without having to be under the eye of my mother and father..� Mahn chuckled a bit at this. �Something humorous, sir?�
�You sound exactly like your father, a crusader of old, if you would. Very well, your request is granted.� Mahn looked skyward as the sun managed to shine a few rays of light through the gray clouds. He looked at his watch as Duncan jumped in front of him.
�Mister President, are you alright?� Mahn patted his shoulder and spoke into his ear.
�Quite Eclipse quite. That badger tried to assassinate me but, my new bodyguard, saved me.� Duncan looked down to the ground.
�Will you no longer be requiring my services then, Mr. President?� Mahn shook his head.
�Absolutely. I most certainly will. Midnight will be partnering with you to help in my protection. One in my position can never have too much. Is that fine with you Midnight?� The blue vulpine stepped over to the black fox, extending his paw.
�That would be fine with me.� Duncan extended his paw and shook Midnight�s and released it. As Mahn started back to the car, Midnight and Duncan started to talk amongst themselves.
�Do you have another name I can call you?�
�Lukas.�
�Mine�s Duncan.� Lukas didn�t stop but his eyes did widen slightly.
�Would you happen to know an Artica Lagopus?� Duncan�s eyes grew.
�Yes, why do you ask?�
�About a month ago, I ran into her, she was still managing to stay away from the patrolling Hunters. The reason she came up to me was that I looked a bit like you. It was dark at the time and my fur comes off as black in the wrong light. I told her I�d look for you, she seemed deeply concerned with your well being.� Duncan looked in front of him, at the ground he was about to walk on.
�She�s still thinking of me?� A smile curled the vulpine�s muzzle. �Thank you maker, and please keep her safe for me till I can protect her again.� They all made it back to the car and Duncan held the door for Mahn. �Would you like to drive?� Midnight shook his head.
�No thanks. It�s been too long since I got behind the wheel. I�ll wait until we aren�t carrying something as important as him to get to driving again.� Duncan shrugged and got into the driver�s side, as Lukas got into the passenger seat, and strapped in. They pulled away from the cemetery letting the badger be.
Chalondra was sitting at her desk, reading one of the better romance novels in her collection.. It had been a relatively quiet day, even for a Thursday. Only message she had to give the President was a call from Lady Alpha Raye, which he could return at his convenience. She sighed, a bit heated from the scene she had just read. A brave knight had rescued his princess from certain death and she rewarded him with herself as payment. Knowing that they were destined for one another they made love, then proclaimed it to each other as the book ended. Her mind drifted for a few moments as she absent mindedly tossed the end of her tight braid over her shoulder. She liked to twirl her silver mane in her paw as she read. The door to the office opened and the President followed by Eclipse, and a midnight blue fox she couldn�t exactly place, entered. Mahn smiled and Chalondra returned it.
�Any messages, Miss Riker?� Chalondra nodded.
�One from the Triumvirate member, Lady Alpha Raye. She just asked if you would call her back at your convenience.� Mahn nodded taking the note in his mind.
�Thank you, Miss Riker.� He turned to Midnight and Eclipse. �Would you two mind taking the rest of the day off? I�m not going anywhere else, and you can use the day to get settled in, Midnight.� Chalondra�s eyes widened but she didn�t say anything, not wanting to intrude on the conversation. As the two of them nodded, Mahn put a hand on Eclipse�s shoulder. �Could I speak with you a moment in my office?� Eclipse nodded and Midnight was still looking at Mahn. �Oh forgive me, Midnight, I haven�t told you where to go to rest yet. Chalondra.� She looked up from the paper she wasn�t even really paying attention to.. �Could you show Mr. Craven to his new room and around the area, please..� Her heart jumped a beat, but she tried not to let it show.
�Of course, Mr. President.� She stood up dusting off her white business suit. �Right this way, Mr. Craven.� Midnight and Chalondra proceeded down a separate hall as Duncan and Mahn stepped into his office.
Duncan sat uncomfortably in front of the President�s desk, as he spoke on the phone. He didn�t really enjoying waiting. Not when it was the President he was waiting for. The overwhelming rage he had once held for the former commander of the human invasion forces had been replaced by a slight fear, now that he could easily have him sent away or destroyed. Still he sat, as patiently as he could waiting for Mahn to say what he needed to say to him.
�Yes, m�lady..... yes I�m doing fine. Really.... that�s interesting. No, I�m afraid I can�t make it. A world to run, you know, but please don�t let that stop you........I may have someone that may like too. He�ll be coming alone.......That�s terrific.. By the way, I saw your son today.......I�m afraid I was too slow for him, but he told me to tell you that he�s well, he loves you all and will return when he�s proved that he�s worth something to himself. I�m sorry I couldn�t do more........Good day to you too, m�lady.� Mahn hung up the phone and sat down in his cushy chair behind his desk. �When was the last time you had a vacation?�
Duncan looked a bit awestruck at first, thinking he might have been joking but looking at the President�s face told him otherwise. �I got some leave about three years ago through the Solar Force.� Mahn nodded.
�I thought as much, in a week I�m going to be sending you down to Conrad Mathyas�s plantation. It�ll be a week or so, of R&R for you so I want you to enjoy yourself. And in this particular incident, I won�t be taking �no� for an answer.�
Duncan couldn�t believe his ears, but he did anyway. �Thank you, Mr. President. I don�t know what to say.�
Seeing that words were truly difficult to come by for his guard he said it for him. �The thank you was enough. I expect you to be packed up by this time next week, and expect a long bus ride.� Eclipse nodded and stood. Mahn did the same and extended his hand and the anthro shook it enthusiastically for a moment. �Go on, and enjoy the day off.�
As Duncan was about to leave the room he added again. �Thank you, Noah.� Mahn smiled as he looked at him again, as it was the first time anyone had called him by his first name in quite some time. When Duncan left, he leaned back in his chair closing his eyes wearily.
�I haven�t heard that in so long.�
Midnight and Chalondra walked the grounds of the area. It was quite large and night had fallen, but they stopped off in the cafeteria to eat. Chalondra bought them both some sandwiches, and walked back to her table with Midnight. A few of the other workers were there, and she talked briefly to the one�s she knew as she passed. Midnight couldn�t remove his eyes from her. �She�s still as beautiful as I remember her.�
Chalondra sat down and set Lukas�s plate in front of him. �Hope you like chicken salad, it�s all they had left.� Lukas scooped up the sandwich and had already eaten it before Chalondra could even begin hers. �Still have your father�s appetite and mannerism I see.� Lukas smiled, she thought he might have been blushing but it�s hard to tell with darker fur colors.
�And your still as beautiful as I remember you in my dreams.�
Ah, that silver tongue. She always blushed and got goose-bumps up her arms when he talked to her that way. She swallowed down a bite of her food as she looked at him. She smiled, he looked almost intoxicated, but she didn�t exactly know what or why. He was always very attractive to her, even when he before their little hideout had been discovered. She frowned slightly. �Why didn�t you tell me you were going to leave? I wanted to keep living there with you, but you left that night, why?� She looked into his eyes, and his were probably just as serious as hers looked at the moment.
�If I had told you, you would�ve tried to stop me. I needed to train some more and you didn�t need to stay in a place that I couldn�t protect you. I didn�t think you stay there. Yet, you still did. I�m sorry, I didn�t. I know that doesn�t make up for what you�ve been through.� Chalondra shook her head, closing her eyes briefly.
�Was I not good enough for you? Was that the reason why?� She suddenly had lost her appetite. Lukas leaned forward, not wanting everyone in the cafeteria to hear what he had to say next.
�Chal, look. If I could�ve promised that we could�ve been happy in that shack forever, I would�ve stayed. It�s not the fact that your not good enough for me, it�s just the fact that...... I didn�t feel like I deserved you. You were so kind, warm-hearted, about it. I didn�t want to go either but I did want to protect you. I needed to train a bit more. I have that training now, and if you�ll accept me again, I�d like to try again.� She felt his paw on hers and she gently grasped it and squeezed. He leaned up next to her ear and spoke softly. �I�m sorry.�
She smiled as a tear rolled down her fur, he caught it and wiped it on his jeans. �I�d like to try again too, but first let me show you to your room.� They got up and Lukas grabbed her sandwich, slid it back into the container and shut it, throwing the rest of the garbage away. They walked silently down a few corridors till they came to the last room on the left. Chal opened the door and they both stepped in as Lukas closed it behind him, locking it.
�Here�s your key. Don�t lose it, it�s the only one..� Chal placed the key in his paw, he held her paw for a moment looking into her eyes. He leaned forward and kissing her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His slid around her waist. When they broke from the kiss, she smiled at him, and he returned it. �I�ve missed the way you hold me. I always feel safe when you do, like nothing can hurt me.�
�I�ve always enjoyed how well you fit in my arms.� He kissed her again, and this time she was intensely passionate about it. She pulled him around to the bed, and she pushed him gently to the sheets. He pulled off her jacket and threw it to the floor, she continued to speak, as she pulled off his shirt then looked into his eyes.
�I wanted to do this before, but you left before I had the opportunity.� He unbuttoned her blouse and unhooked her bra as both of them followed her jacket to the floor. He groped, kneaded, and gently nibbled on her breast and nipples.. She was starting to breath heavier as she removed his pants, her paw running along his long shaft. She slid down his stomach and licked his piece, thoroughly wetting it. Then she took it into her muzzle, gently sucking. She felt his foot slid up under her skirt and start to rub on her folds, they were already moist, so this added to the enthusiasm of what she was currently doing. She sucked hard, as he groaned slightly, and she felt some of his fluid released and she drank it down, as she used her entire muzzle. He growled this time as her mouth filled with his juice. He panted gently as she got up wiping some from her chin and he pulled up and slid off her skirt, and undergarments. He licked the outside of her folds before sliding part of his muzzle into her. She moaned grabbing his head, and his paws continued with her breasts. He continued sliding his muzzle into her, until he was licking deep into her. She moaned then, shuddered as her the first orgasm hit her in a wave. She was sweating profusely as he stood, pulling her hair from the braid, and laying her down on the bed. Her hair was every where and just before he slid into her, he looked into her eyes. She gave a quick nod and braced herself.. As he slid in, she winced slightly griping the sheets, but as he licked her neck the pain went away and was replaced by the passion. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he got a rhythm going to the pumps.
She moaned and looked into his compassionate brown eyes, and smiled. When they kissed again it muffled each others moans as they climaxed at the same moment. He laid down next to her, gently wiping the sweat from her brow. �I love you, Chal. I�ll never leave you again.�
�I love you too, and I�m going to hold you to it this time.� He pulled the covers of the bed up over them both and they got the best night�s sleep in each others arms.