He awoke early, before the sunrise.
His ninth day in this luxurious prison cell. Eight days since his little neko was used by the emperor, and demonstrated an aptitude for political wrangling that no one had expected of her.
Four days since the last assassination attempt on his life. That one had probably been Castelle, outraged at how easily the cat was becoming a part of life on the estate. The little furball sowing chaos and discontent everywhere she went.
"Tyre." Sai greeted the man leaning stiffly against the far wall. "I must confess, I didn't expect anyone would send you to try and end me."
The man smiled, "Still haven't, Thunderstep. From what I hear, the emperor is more than happy to let you rot so long as your cat makes things difficult for everyone else. He likes her."
"For now." Sai replied hesitantly, "So what brings you to see your former lord, gamekeeper?"
The man rubbed at his face, "My gamekeeping duties. I am afraid I don't know quite what has to happen, but something does. Castelle had me trap a beast plaguing a village near the border. Cage it, and drag it back to his estate."
"A new plaything for the hunter." Sai nodded, "So, what has you concerned?"
"It's a neko."
Sai swallowed nervously, "A neko. They're ambush predators. You and I know that. It shouldn't have been attacking entire villages... Oh, shit. Fuck me. It's a bucktooth, isn't it?"
"It is. It's also of the same clan as the woman you wish could be your bride." Tyre said with concern.
He winced, "Nothing we can do. She'll just have to deal with it, Shifter."
"Like she dealt with the succubus? That play won't work here, Thunderstep." Tyre shook his head, "You can't fuck a tomcat into submission. She's going to be out of her depth. She didn't grow up with her people. She grew up in the temple."
Sai shrugged, "I can't break my confines without making things worse. I can't even send her a message, without making things worse. You can't protect her, this time. We have to let this one play out."
Tyre nodded grimly, "I know. That's what I'm terrified of."
"Stop worrying about the bucktooth, and start worrying about Twenty Four. You don't want to be anywhere near her if she loses it." Sai said honestly, "I've seen some of her creativity. It comes out when she gets angry. Trapping something like that... She won't lose control. She will get even."
The assassin cum gamekeeper scoffed, "Do you remember fighting them, Sai? That time we kidnapped one of their buckteeth to interrogate? We didn't make that mistake twice. Not with what followed."
"I remember." He replied, looking grimly down at the ground, "The smell of blood and burning sand. The wailing. Soldiers flailing around in the dark and fire, screaming as they died in fear. Those golden eyes in the shadows. We never stood a chance."
"I could tell the emperor."
Sai shrugged, "For what purpose, Shifter? Castelle caged an exotic beast that was a plague on the land. He is well within his rights. Our glorious ruler never came to see the exotics as anything even approaching human. Just dumb mutts to be put down."
Tyre breathed out heavily, "Did we see them as anything more than that?"
"I chose an exotic mistress on purpose." Sai replied quietly, "It might have taken me a while to admit it, but I am soaked in the blood of my sins."
The gamekeeper nodded slowly, "For what it is worth... I am terrified of your mistress. She sees through people like they're made of glass. Knows just how to manipulate them. I wouldn't say that Lord Castelle's life expectancy is very high, just now."
"Really."
"She's been working with his wife, healing both their respective handmaidens." Tyre reported what he had already scried. "Even got to the point where if the cat calls for the lady, it isn't the cat who has to go to her. They idle in the gardens, sometimes, as well."
Sai smiled slowly, "That's my Twenty Four. Breaking hearts wherever she goes. Has she made a move against Isaac, yet?"
"Not that I can see." Tyre shook his head, "But I don't envy that one. The scars he's left on the handmaiden's back aren't going to be forgiven, or forgotten. Especially not when they share a bed most nights."
"Only when it isn't Elia's turn." Sai mused, "Has Toofy realised that you watch her, yet? That the two of you are involved?"
"Always. She can smell the animals on me from an impressive distance."
The lord nodded slowly, "We've done what we can, Tyre. What happens next... Is on her."
"As you wish, Thunderstep." The man disappeared.
Sai leaned back on the bed, pausing as he heard a rattle. He looked over, his green eyes flashing, as he saw a scorpion in the bed. The creature skited away under his glare, but left him questioning where it had come from.
--
She skipped happily into the greenhouse, dragging Arina along by her hand as she did. The cat purred happily, and rubbed her face onto the other woman who was already present.
Liz batted her away, "Not right now. Don't go getting your fur in my work."
Toofy glanced down at the alchemical substance being mixed, and cocked her head. She sniffed and then planted both her hands over her nose and recoiled. "Vile! Evil!"
"Isn't it?" Liz said in amusement, "However, I do believe it to be quite the effective poultice. Arina, strip, if you would please. It is time your bandages were changed."
The handmaiden curtsied, "Yes, Lady Castelle."
Toofy had to restrain her usual hiss as she saw the marks left on the delicate skin. Had to stop herself reaching out to Arina with tears in her golden eyes.
Liz, of course, noticed the pain and fluffed the top of her head, "Don't worry. She's nearly healed."
"Don't touch Toofy's fucking head!" She spat, and then looked back to the handmaiden. "She will make this right. She will."
Liz ignored her, continuing to pat her, despite the protests. And despite her anger, the neko couldn't help but admit that she did like it. Made her feel like a loved little kitten, again.
The lady frowned, glancing around, "No slave shadow, today? Did you have another fight with Elia about her tail?"
"Toofy put it in her mouth in her sleep." Her ears went flat, "She didn't mean it! But... Little Saia needs to recharge. So she's run away to hide."
Liz laughed softly, "To think that I once feared what you would do to me, if I afforded you the opportunity."
"What is that supposed to mean?" She glowered.
The woman shrugged, "Oh, just that I underestimated you. Fearing that you might sexually satisfy me was foolish. I should have feared that I could not satisfy you."
She purred and rubbed on her again, "Toofy is as satisfied as she can be, without her master."
"With how many sharing your bed?"
The cat giggled, "Liz and Arina and Little Saia. She hasn't taken any others. Didn't even touch Liz's Xivian. Only helped to fix her."
"I despise that pet name." The lady shook her head, "Yet, you will always insist upon it, won't you?"
"Mmm." Toofy nodded, her bell ringing with the motion.
She scooted closer as Arina finished undressing, and removing her bandages. Gentle hands delicately touching the still-healing welts from where the belt buckle had carved through her flesh. She leaned forward, and her rough tongue flicked out.
Arina shivered in pain, but made no other outward signs as Toofy began to kiss across each of the wounds. The handmaiden had got used to this part of the process.
Lady Castelle leaned her chin in a hand, considering her, "You've made rapid progress, considering the depth of the attacks, but I'm concerned that some of these are still blackening. Twenty Four? How does it taste?"
She made a face but tasted at one of the black spots, before recoiling and spitting violently. She heaved and coughed a furball up onto the ground, before wiping her mouth. "Gangrene."
"Damn it. I am almost at my wits end. It may be in the hands of the gods, soon." Liz said with frustration. "We keep cutting it out, and cleaning it, and it isn't enough."
Toofy frowned, staggering upright, "Isn't spell. Isn't curse. Checked for those. Has to be natural. Maid job is too dirty."
"If she didn't work, then my husband would simply kill her. We can't hide her away." Liz shook her head. "I'm already in trouble for favouring Xivian."
"And when he caught Toofy in the garden." She reminded the woman how they had recently been caught with a certain cat tongue between certain legs by a certain husband.
She sighed, "I really thought he would be kinder, after his indigestion problems stopped. It seems he is worse than ever."
"He is irritating. But he did want her to be interested in his son, not his wife." Toofy agreed, "Not long, though. Not long. We just need to help the Arina until then. Hm. Toofy was reading in the library. Read about elf who used to grow poultices."
Liz turned her head, "Oh? I do not believe I am acquainted with that particular volume."
"Written in high elf." Toofy shrugged, "A present for his lord stinkypants. All pretty pictures. The elf... What was his name? Can't remember. He was killed in the war. Volume published posthumously."
The lady sighed, "So, how does this help us? Did it have a list of ingredients or castings required to create these magical poultices?"
"Not magical." Toofy shook her head, "Natural. Grow and eat the bad things. Easy to grow. Need a cold and dark place to grow. Damp is better."
"Worth an attempt." Liz shrugged, "I suppose I could ask for a corner of the dungeon for a small experiment. My husband is likely to extract a price, however."
The cat smiled cheekily, "She could lend him her succugirl."
"He doesn't like exotics. Especially dehydrated ones." The woman replied flatly. "Do you even consider Elia's feelings, before you offer her up like bait?"
"Toofy doesn't consider the worm. She only eats the fish before it can get the worm." She replied with a twinkle of excitement in her eyes.
Liz sighed, "She loves you, you know. In her own way."
