#farena

You tilted your head, putting a couple pairs of pants into your bag. “Are you…nervous?” you checked. “Tch. Please,” snorted Leona. “If for any reason they don’t approve of the Hated Second Prince’s mate, it’ll just be another whisper in the shadows for me to deal with, and I’ve had plenty of those.” You bit your lip and looked away, tucking some underwear into your bag. “…Do you…not think they’d approve?” you murmured. Leona’s acid-colored eyes softened…and he sighed through his nose, rolling those eyes as he moved towards you. He cupped your chin in one hand, tilting your head up to face him, and smirked as he placed a soft kiss on your forehead. “Does that really matter to you?” he asked, giving no indication of his answer, one way or the other. You nodded. “If we’re going to be in a…well…relationship,” you said, “I want to get to know your family. And I…well…” You paused stepping back and rubbing one arm. Leona raised an eyebrow, hands on his hips as he watched you. “…You’re a prince,” you mumbled, lamely. “Yeah,” Leona nodded. “That’s been established. And you’re a delicious piece of meat that goes well with potatoes.” “…I…was going to say I’m a ‘commoner,’ but I guess that works, too…” Leona chuckled. “If it’s your station that’s worrying you, don’t,” Leona said. “You’re good enough for me.” And you’re not easy to please, you thought to quip, but for one reason or another decided to keep it to yourself. “Besides, after the events at the Magift tournament a while back – when we first met – Ruggie’s become pretty…RECOGNIZABLE around the palace…” “Recognizable,” you realized, meant “popular,” something you guessed didn’t sit well with Leona. “…So I doubt Farena or the little twerp would care much.” “What about your brother’s wife?” Leona smiled. “Selena is an able huntress and a capable ruler,” he said, crisply, “But she is also one of a gentle heart. Even more so than ‘His Majesty.’” You caught the sneer in his lips as he spoke of his brother, and you smiled almost apologetically. “Why do you hate them so much?” you found yourself asking aloud. Something flickered in Leona’s eyes and he sighed, glancing off to one side. One of his ears twitched as he lifted his arms and crossed them over his chest. “I don’t…HATE them,” he insisted, squirming a little. “They’re just…immensely irritating by their mere existence.” “Aren’t most families?” you reasoned, jokingly. Leona didn’t smile, giving you a deadpan look. “I doubt your family always got everything you deserved,” he said, flatly. Your smile faded and you moved closer…before instinctively hugging him. Leona froze up and blinked, taken off guard by the sudden show of affection…then, his eyes narrowed again, and he sighed wearily before hugging you back. “Why are prey always so emotional?” he mumbled. “You know you love me.” “I know I love how you taste,” Leona purred back…and you eeped as he gave you a lick on the cheek and growled hungrily. “I love how you SQUIRM…” The cheek he had licked turned red as a beet, and you felt your knees start to quake. “Sexy talk later,” you gulped nervously. “We, uh…w-we still have things to pack…” Leona chuckled – a low rumble that thrummed through his chest and against you. He gave you a squeeze that seemed almost grateful (almost), then peeled away. The two of you thus returned your attention to your preparations. “Anyway, I’m actually looking forward to this,” you smiled brightly. “That makes one of us,” Leona grunted, then gave you a stern look. “Just make sure you watch your step, Herbivore. Even in the palace, the Afterglow Savannah can be a tough place. Be prepared for that.” “I’ll have the water spray bottle on me at all times,” you promised. Leona gave you a deadpan glare. “…Are you TRYING to get me to eat you? Permanently?” he droned. You gave a blushing smile as you put some socks into your bag, and decided not to answer that question verbally. Leona turned away, tossing his mane about flippantly. “At least the presents will be worth it,” the hybrid prince huffed. You froze. “Presents?” you repeated. “Well, yeah,” snorted Leona. “Christmas is a week away. We give presents, too, you know.” You nodded slowly…then continued to work. “Well…I hope you’re right,” you chuckled. “Trust me, if there’s one thing a King can give, it’s a good gift,” smirked Leona…then grumbled under his breath: “It’s about all Farena’s good for, really…” You could only smile.

The following afternoon, you entered the Mirror chamber casually; Leona had told you he had some last-minute business to take care of (he often did, on days like this), so you told him you’d wait for him there. As you entered the room, your fingers flexed nervously around the handle-straps of your duffel bag; dozens of students were leaping through the portal, heading out of Night Raven and returning to their own homes for the holiday season. You scanned the area, hoping you could catch a couple of particular parties before they left… You eventually spotted one of the two. Ace and Deuce were just saying goodbye to Trey Clover, who followed a less-than-excited-looking Riddle Rosehearts through the portal. You saw that Deuce was carrying a large cage-box; a pet carrier. You rushed over to your friend with a smile and waved them down. Ace Trappola was the one who noticed you. “Oh!” Ace exclaimed, and waved back as he called out: “Hi ya, Prefect! Glad you could make it in time!” “Where’s Leona?” Deuce asked, looking none-too-pleased by the lion’s absence; you guessed it was some sense of protectiveness about you. “Isn’t he going with you?” “Well, yeah,” you nodded. “He’s just busy.” You looked towards the cage and paused, biting your lip before checking: “Um…is he, uh…taking it well?” Ace and Deuce shared a look, and Deuce lifted the cage. You moved closer and peered inside. Inside the pet carrier was Grim: the small gray cat-like demon was pouting in the back corner of the carrier, his fiery ears barely flickering as his turquoise eyes smoldered in a petulant huff. The moment he noticed you, he glared. “Nya…this is so humiliating,” he grumbled. “The Great Grim, treated like a common housepet…as soon as I’m let out of here, I’m setting the red one’s butt on fire!” “You do and I’ll give you such a pinch!” snapped Ace. You smiled gently, almost sadly. “I’m sorry…I really want this first visit to be for me and Leona,” you apologized to the trapped imp. “But I can be quiet!” Grim promised, moving closer to the cage door with pleading eyes. “I can behave, honest! You’ll never even know I’m there! I’m super subtle!” “Like a train wreck on a boat,” snorted Deuce. Ace snickered while Grim glared at him, then looked at you pleadingly again. “Please…can’t I go with you? You’re MY minion, not his.” You shook your head and reached through the bars, scratching and scratching Grim under his chin. You waited till the cat-like creature began to purr, then went on. “It will only be till the holidays are over, I promise. Once we’re all back in school, I’ll make it up to you.” Grim paused, biting his lip. “…With tuna?” he meowed hopefully. You smiled wider. “I’ll get you a BUCKET full of tuna,” you vowed. “And I’ll make sure to buy a present for you while I’m in the Savannah.” “Hey, you’ll have to make it up to US, too,” snapped Ace, crossing his arms over his chest. “He’s gonna be difficult, I can tell!” Grim gave his most innocent, adorable, kitten-eyed smile and purred sweet, seemingly proving this, and earning a glare from Ace. You chuckled, and raised an eyebrow in Ace’s direction. “Cherry pie and a movie sound good for a start?” Ace’s eyes lit up at the mention of his favorite meal, and he licked his lips. “That oughta do it,” he nodded. You nodded back, and then looked to Deuce, a little bit anxiously. “You WILL take good care of him, right?” “I’ll do my best,” Deuce promised, with a mild, reassuring smile. “Yeah! And I’ll pop in now and again to make sure he doesn’t set his own house on fire!” Ace winked, giving a thumbs-up and slinging an arm around Deuce’s shoulders. Deuce narrowed his eyes, and muttered something in the vein of “speak for yourself,” but his smile didn’t fade. “Thanks, guys,” you said to both of your friends, and then looked to Grim once more. “Please try not to be TOO crazy?” “I make no promises!” Grim winked teasingly…then his own eyes softened. “Nya…just…be careful, Minion. The ones who live in the Savannah can be…well…” “I know. I’ll try to stay out of trouble. You stay safe, and we’ll do our best to have a call on Christmas. Okay?” “Okay,” mewed Grim, and as you put your fingers through the bars again, he nuzzled your hand gently. “Bye, Minion. Happy Holidays.” “Happy Holidays to you, Grim,” you smiled, and bid the same to Ace and Deuce. Both of them mock-saluted you, and without another word, left through the portal. No sooner were they gone from sight, than you heard huffing and panting behind you, along with the sound of squeaky wheels. You turned, already knowing who it was: the small, slim figure of Ruggie Bucchi pelted into the Mirror Chamber. He paused part of the way into the room and panted like a dog, dropping the handle of the large, plastic ice chest had with him. A somewhat worse-for-the-wear-looking leather suitcase (a hand-me-down from Leona; he didn’t really need it) was strapped to the top of it. As Ruggie leaned back against his cargo and sighed softly, you approached him. “Your usual haul from the cafeteria?” you called. Ruggie’s gray eyes blinked in your direction…and he grinned. “Yep! Half for me, half for the kids at the shelter!” he nodded, patting the chest’s side and winking. “Naturally, I COULD just eat all of it myself, buuuuut season o’ giving and all that! Shishishishi!” He tilted his head and stood a bit straighter; his hyena ears perked up as his tail swished behind him. He looked you up and down for a moment before continuing: “So! Gonna be your first visit to the Savannah, yeah?” “Hopefully the first of many,” you nodded, then added: “Before you say anything about how dangerous it is, trust me, I already gathered that.” “Aw, you can take care of yourself…probably,” shrugged Ruggie. “Besides, you’ll have Leona with you! You’re lucky: getting to spend your Christmas at the Palace…” “Trust me, I won’t let it go to my head,” you said, catching the light note of envy and even sadness in Ruggie’s eyes. He smiled gratefully, tail wagging a bit faster. “Why don’t you join us?” “Heh. Tempting, but nah,” he said, waving a hand dismissively. “Unlike Leona, I actually LIKE spending the holidays with my folks. Family is important to us hyenas…sometimes I think even more so than with lions. Though not as much as wolves,” he pointed out quickly. “Seriously, Fresh Baby’s family SPOILS him.” You rolled your eyes, then glanced around quickly, making sure no one nearby might notice as you moved closer. You caught no sight of Leona yet, which was good. “Hey…before you go, I have a question for you,” you said. “Oh?” Ruggie asked, and leaned closer, cocking his head the other way and blinking innocently. “What’s up? You know, besides the sky…the ceiling…outer space…shishishishi!” The look on your face told Ruggie how much you enjoyed that joke. You really didn’t. “Aww, everybody’s a critic,” muttered the hyena, then shook his head to clear it. “Anyway! What do you need to ask?” “I haven’t gotten a Christmas gift for Leona yet,” you whispered carefully. “Do you have any idea where I might find something good for him?” Ruggie hummed thoughtfully and scratched his chin in thought…then smiled slyly. “I know a place,” he said, at length, then winked. “But it might be easier to show you the way rather than just tell you, especially with you being a stranger and all.” “Good point,” you mumbled, then checked aloud: “When should we meet up, then?” “Let’s figure that out once we’re both through the looking-glass,” said Ruggie. “You can call me tomorrow, when we’re settled in, and we can arrange something. Sound good?” “Very,” you said, and hugged Ruggie gently. “Thanks, hyena.” Ruggie smiled somewhat bashfully and hugged you back; a sound somewhere between a dog’s happy rumble and a cat’s purr came from him. “Yeah, yeah, just…easy on the affection…I might not be a Prince, but I DO have a reputation to keep up, y’know?” You giggled and released him. Ruggie stepped back and picked up the handle of the cooler again. “Oh! Do me a favor, will ya?” he added, as he began to move towards the Mirror. “Make sure he actually TRIES to pick up his own mess? Lord knows SOMEBODY has to take the burden off the servants there…seriously, he could make his bed, at the very least, jeeze…oh-oh! And PLEASE remind him to do whatever homework he has BEFORE the last three days of the freaking break?” “I’ll try,” you chortled at the hyena’s grumbling. “Take care, Ruggie!” Ruggie grinned, gave you a “peace sign,” and with another of his trademark snickers – “Shishishishi!” – he was gone. After Ruggie left, it was still twenty minutes till Leona arrived; you didn’t mind much. You sat upon a bench in the Mirror Chamber and waited patiently, watching others depart. You said goodbye to Kalim and Jamil (making sure to hug Kalim’s stuffed parrot, Gilbert, much to Jamil’s clear disgrace), waved farewell to the Shroud Brothers (Ortho waved back cheerily; Idia whimpered and hid his face with the collar of his jacket), and bid a casual “Stay safe! Happy Holidays!” to several other students who passed by as well. Finally, Leona came prowling into the chamber, looking very much like he would much rather be back in his bed, covers pulled over his head, than going home for the holidays. He was carrying a large brown paper bag with carboard handles; the logo told you he had gotten it from the Mystery Shop. He HAD said he needed to take care of something; you guessed he had to pick up something for his nephew, and shrugged idly before waving him down. Leona’s ears pricked up slightly as he noticed you, and his stalking motions became something more like a swagger, a suave smile slipping over his scarred face as he moved towards you. “Hey,” he greeted, coolly. “So, ready to go.” “Ready as I’ll ever be!” you chirruped… …And the smile fled your face in an instant as he drew nearer…and, without any warning – before you could get up from the bench - he pulled you close, pressing the side of your head to his cloth covered belly. He was dressed in his school uniform. “Good,” he whispered, and licked his teeth before adding: “It’ll be lunchtime soon…I’m already STARVING…” GRRRLLLG… A deep rumble from the belly of the lion made his abdomen quiver through his vest and rumpled white shirt. You blushed bright red and tried to push away, but Leona held you fast, his expression the contented grin of a cat that had caught the canary. “L-Leona…um…other people are watching,” you peeped, anxiously. “Let ‘em,” Leona grunted with a shrug, and leaned down to whisper: “They know you’re mine. They better.” You squeaked like a mouse. Leona let out a snicker that would make Ruggie proud, and finally released you. You stood up quickly, taking a few steps away as you composed yourself and straightened yourself out. The lion-man watched with one eyebrow raised, his free hand on his hip as he cocked it slightly. “Ahem…well…if you’re done with your regular teasing of me…” “Oh, I haven’t even STARTED,” Leona growled, then shrugged as he added: “I’ll stop for now though.” “Thank you,” you breathed, a little bashful as you realized some people really WERE watching, and you tried to put them out of your mind. “Anyway…if you’re so hungry, shouldn’t we get moving?” Leona’s smile faded and he sighed. “I guess,” he grumbled noncommittally, a big sourpuss again as he muttered to himself: “Such a pain…” “Well, that’s a LITTLE different,” you muttered to yourself, then shook your head to clear it and took him by the hand. Leona blinked, startled a bit, and looked from his hand to you…then frowned as he pulled it back. “Oi…don’t hang onto me like that,” he grimaced. “I already have ONE annoying runt to deal with, okay?” “Sorry,” you apologized sincerely, and decided not to comment on the faint pinkish hue of his cheeks as he snarled softly and marched towards the Mirror. “Come on, Herbivore,” he called back over his shoulder, sticking his free hand in his pockets, hips sashaying as he moved towards the portal home. “Don’t keep me waiting; it’s not too late for you to spend Christmas as a pile of dust.” He was bluffing…but you obeyed anyway. Leona gave a slight smirk of what seemed to be triumph as you hurried to his side…then, the two of you took a deep breath together… …And through the looking-glass you went. The Dark Mirror was a wonderful thing: it never simply delivered one to their hometown, but would “drop you off” at one particular place near wherever you needed to be. For Ruggie, you presumed, this meant somewhere in the bustling cityscape of the Afterglow Savannah region. But for Leona Kingscholar – and, in this case, for you – it meant right outside Pride Palace: the regal home of the royal family Kingscholar. The place was a wonder, made of manilla-colored stone, gilded and with turquoise accents. Hundreds of windows and arches were visible; the windows were darkly tinted, and the only real way you could tell the empty archways from the glass-paned panels was the way the light of the baby blue sky above glinted off them. What looked like a dozen towers jutted from a wide, long “wall” that formed the palace itself; it loomed over you, shining in the sunlight of the Savannah like some immense monument of wild splendor. As you looked around the landscape, you saw that throughout the grasslands were houses and homes of all kinds, giving the surroundings a bizarre feeling; both isolated and primitive, yet united and modern. Leona smirked smugly in your direction. “Yeah. I know. Big, isn’t it?” he purred, sounding quite proud of that; he may not have liked his family, but he clearly liked his home. All you could do was nod, somewhat dumbly. “I am not worthy,” you gulped. “Nope,” Leona agreed bluntly. That seemed to snap you out of your stupor, and you gave him a flustered, half-hearted glare. “Thanks a lot.” Leona grinned toothily, and the sight of those sharp, perfectly white teeth made you lose your ill temper. He tossed his head, twitching his tail as he bade you follow him, so you did. The palace may have looked like a huge wall – boxy and rectangular, with the towers stretching from it to the sky – but an ACTUAL wall, much more simple and small, surrounded the property, at the end of a tall flight of stone steps that led from the bottom of the hill to the top. As you neared the top, you glanced to your left, and – past Leona – you saw the legendary Pride Rock, where the King of Beasts had once ruled. Your attention was drawn away from the famous mountain, however, as you noticed two tall, burly figures standing guard. It took you a moment to realize that they were both women: lionesses; demis like Leona. Each wore animal skins – giraffes, specifically you realized – and had leather helmets, with armor on their legs and arms. They carried spears and brightly-painted shields that bore the imagery of a roaring lion’s head on each. You recognized the image as the one that Leona had tattoed on one of his arms…although the image on the shields was white, while Leona’s tattoo was black. The lionesses crossed their spears and frowned as you and Leona approached. “Welcome home, Prince Leona,” one of the guards greeted, but there was nothing at all welcoming in her tone of voice. Leona smiled that tight, sharp smile that gave you the sense he was chanting a mantra of respect, respect, respect in his head. Then, he took a breath and spoke; his voice was clear and surprisingly refined – you recognized it not as the voice of the lazy, lounging feline who regularly demanded belly rubs from you, but instead the calculating chess master who could give even Azul Ashengrotto a run for his money. “It is good to be home again,” he lied through his teeth. “Who is this?” barked the second guard, and you yelped as a spear was pointed at you. “Meat?” You gulped nervously and turned a little pale. Leona chuckled, as if the idea was amusing to him, which didn’t encourage you in the least…though you felt a little better when he placed a hand on your shoulder and shook his head. “No,” he answered. “This is my prospective mate.” He introduced you by name then, and then introduced to the two guards: Kali and Nia. Apparently, they were sisters. “Welcome to Pride Palace,” Kali welcomed you; you couldn’t tell for sure, but her voice seemed a little less cold and stiff with you than with Leona. “Uh…hi,” you greeted, eloquently. “I’m sure His Highness will be pleased to meet you,” Nia put in. “Thank you,” you nodded, trying not to stutter (and somehow succeeding). The pair opened the gates, and Leona – still with a hand on your shoulder – led you through. You winced as they shut behind you more loudly than you thought they perhaps should have. “Jeeze…you weren’t kidding about the lionesses: they ARE intense,” you shivered. “I…I seriously thought they might…” “Eat you? Don’t worry, that’s MY job,” Leona growled. …It bothered you how comforting that was… At any rate, you took in the sights of the courtyard. You could suddenly understand why Leona seemed to claim the greenhouse area of the school as “his territory”: the colorful plants and the sounds of feral, exotic birds were all around you. You could see a beautiful pool in one spot of the courtyard, and benches ornately carved in solid wood were everywhere. A nearby fountain filled your ears with its peaceful, trickling lullaby; it resembled a roaring lion, standing atop pride rock, the water spilling from divets in the rock itself in a most elaborate manner. Now you could see the trappings of Christmas, too: palm trees were here, just like outside, and each one was decorated with red and gold ornaments. Garland was strung along the interior of the wall, with wreaths hanging at certain points. “Wow,” you gasped, involuntarily. “It’s…it’s beautiful!” “Eh. It’s got its perks,” shrugged Leona, but the purr in his voice told you he was pleased with your reaction. “Do you…really live here?” you couldn’t help but ask. Leona blinked boredly at you. “No, I live in a soap box down the street, what do you think?” You snorted with laughter…but you stopped when you realized the prince wasn’t even so much as batting an eye. “Ahem…uh…sorry, just…this is a lot to take in.” “I can imagine, for that little Herbivore mind,” Leona said, his smirk returning. “So all this is yours?” you checked. His smirk fell, and he looked away; his scar seemed to flare up. “That depends on perspective,” he growled softly, the hand that gripped the paper bag clenching tightly. “Right now, it’s technically my dear brother’s…and after him…” He trailed off. Your eyes softened. You moved closer and gripped his arm. He turned to face you and you smiled. “It’s your home, so its yours,” you said gently. Leona paused, looking you up and down…then smiled faintly. “Yes…well…one day, it might be ours,” he said, in a slippery, smooth way…then grinned deviously as he added: “If I don’t swallow you first.” “Swallow me, and you won’t be able to leave your room for a week,” you quipped. Leona just grinned wider, and cupped your face in his free hand as he leaned closer. “I think I could live with that,” he rumbled, and you quivered as his lips drew nearer to yours…your eyes fluttered closed…you felt his warm, soft breath tickle your own lips…and then… “Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?” Leona hissed, and the two of you jumped away from each other like scalded cats (appropriately, in his case). The two of you turned towards the source of the interruption…and you blinked. The figure before you was the strangest person you ever saw. He looked like a man – small and reedy, with a beaky sort of nose and large, bird-like eyes of piercing obsidian. He was dressed in a blue robe, tied with a black and white belt…but the strange part was that his hair seemed to look like blue feathers. Behind him were a set of wings, almost like a stereotypical angel, with feathers of blue, black, and white, matching the colors of his clothes. “Damu,” growled Leona, and the way he uttered the name instantly told you that, even if he didn’t hate his family, he had absolutely NO love for this peculiar bird-man. “What do YOU want?” Damu sniffed snootily, and then bowed…but not very low. “I was sent to greet the Second Crown Prince when he arrived,” Damu said, in a high-flung dialect – similar to Leona’s, but more high-pitched and…you searched for a word, and “stuffy” was all that came to mind. “Your brother has been informed of your arrival today, and was looking forward to it…” He then scowled and crossed his arms, glaring at Leona without an ounce of respect. “…So you’d better have a good reason for showing up late for your Christmas holidays.” “I had something to take care of,” Leona answered, clearly trying not to speak through his teeth. “I’m sure,” Damu said, with another sniff…then turned his eyes on you. You almost flinched as he glared at you; Leona had looked at you many times with the kind of stare that gave you the feeling he was looking at a mouse. Damu made you feel somehow even smaller, like a speck of sand. “And who is this peasant?” he snapped. “They don’t look at all suitable for an appointment here at the Palace.” “This ‘peasant,’ Damu,” Leona growled, and his arm went around your shoulders again in a protective, possessive manner, “Is my future mate.” “More like your future snack,” Damu scoffed. “You can’t be serious.” “I am,” Leona insisted, calmly. “DEAD serious.” The way he emphasized the word made Damu take a step back, you noticed. You could help but feel a certain swell of triumph in your own chest as Leona smirked with the same. Damu, however, clearly wasn’t done talking. “What a pity,” he murmured, then more loudly added: “Are you ATTEMPTING to disgrace your family at this point? Bringing a mere human, and a common one at that, into such a fold? Your parents would be ashamed.” “You say that every day about everything I do,” Leona responded, rather boredly, as if any sting that SHOULD have had had died long ago. “You’re going to need a new reprimand, bird brain.” Damu’s eyes widened and he sputtered, a hand to his chest. “Bird brain?!” he choked out, as if it were the worst possible insult one could give. “I am one of the King’s chief advisors, Prince Leona.” Leona chuckled darkly and released you as he began to advance on Damu. “Ohhhhh, I quiver with FEAR…” You gulped nervously. You knew the tone of that voice…the look in those green eyes… “Leona,” you whispered softly, but he just growled, without looking at you, grinning and licking his fangs. Damu’s bravado left him completely, and he began to back up. “N-Now…now, P-Prince Leona…Leona…don’t look at me that way…” “HA!” Leona barked out, and lunged. “HELP!” squawked Damu, and his wings flapped…but before he could get anywhere, Leona had him pinned against the wall, holding him by the front of his collar as he lifted him up off the ground. He cackled softly. “Well,” he rumbled. “Would you mind repeating what you said about MY Herbivore now…” He leaned close and allowed his breath to fall across Damu’s panicked face. “…Or AFTER you start to crumble into dust?” “Leona.” A commanding voice filled the courtyard. All eyes turned toward its source. Framed between two trees, you saw the silhouette of another lion demi: this one was roughly the same height as Leona, but with broader shoulders and a more “buff” physique. Rich, brown eyes narrowed in the shadows. “Yes?” Leona hissed. “Drop him,” the voice – somehow even deeper than Leona’s – commanded. Leona snarled, and looked back at Damu murderously. The bird-man whimpered… …Then he froze, as you placed a hand on Leona’s shoulder. The half-lion looked back at you fast…and the fire left his eyes as he looked into your own. You didn’t have to say anything. He looked from you, to Damu, to the figure in the shadows, then back to you again…and sighed, relaxing in apparent defeat. “…Whatever,” he muttered, expression shifting to a dull sort of look, and he released the pompous avian hybrid. Damu cried out shrilly, glared at both your boyfriend AND you (clearly he felt gratitude was overrated), and he stood up, ruffling his wings and running a hand through the feathers on his head. “Impeccable timing, Your Majesty,” he muttered as he hustled to stand near where the silhouetted figure was. The silhouetted figure nodded in Damu’s direction, gave Leona a stern sort of look (he returned it with a smirk and a shrug, showing he couldn’t care less)…then looked to you. The eyes softened…and the figure stepped out of the shadows. He was dressed in robes of brown and gold, with long red hair. His face was strong and clean-shaven, with a chisel jaw…but his smile was soft as he looked to you. His stance was lordly and imperious, the same stance Leona used so often…but somehow, there was a gentleness to his eyes, that gave you the feeling nothing was there to fear. Not even when he smiled, revealing dagger-sharp fangs as his lion-tail curled into a J-shape behind him. “Welcome to Pride Palace,” the strong lion greeted you, in a voice as rich and warm as hot chocolate, matching the shade of his eyes. “I am Farena.” For a moment, you were silent…then, Leona nudged you with a grunt, and you awkwardly introduced yourself, starting to bow. Damu smiled in an almost smug manner…but his smile soon faded as Farena chuckled and lifted his hands in a placating manner. “Please, you don’t have to do that,” he said in that strong but gentle voice, and approached you, extending a hand as his tail flipped behind him, the tip flicking till the curve was now facing the opposite direction. His stance relaxed, as if he wanted you to feel more equal to him. “Leona has told me a great deal about you.” You blinked, and cautiously accepted Farena’s hand. “He…has?” you said softly, and glanced towards Leona, who watched you and his brother shake hands with an aloof expression. “Of course!” Farena said, boisterously, and lifted his head with a smile as he moved close, clapping you on the back with one huge hand. You winced as it stung a bit, and laughed nervously as he chortled with a smile. “I was beginning to wonder if my little brother would ever open that stony old heart of his to anyone! You have to be pretty special to deal with this lazybones, hm?” “Farena,” growled Leona, clenching his fists and grinding his teeth. You couldn’t help but smirk; the actions should have been threatening, the faint pinkish hue his tanned cheeks turned made you think so much of a young cub being embarrassed by his father… “Well…it’s not easy,” you teased back. “I mean, I literally had to pull him by the tail to get him to class once.” Leona flashed a shocked look of utter betrayal towards you. Farena’s own eyes widened and he gasped. “Are you serious?” he asked. “Oh, yeah,” you nodded, ignoring the way Leona tried to cut in as you added: “He just would NOT get out of bed, and if he missed that day, he would have had to take the class all over again. So I dragged him out of his bed, out of the dorm room, and all the way down the hall to the exit.” Farena began roaring with laughter. Leona just groaned and facepalmed, grumbling to himself. “Oh, I wish I had been there!” the king chortled merrily. “I can’t imagine his ‘subjects’ let him hear the end of it soon enough.” You just smiled at that; in truth, spending several hours in Leona’s stomach as punishment for that had almost been worth it. Oh, who were you kidding…it was TOTALLY worth it. You glanced over at Leona and gave a wincing, scared smile as he glared at you with vengeance. You had the distinct feeling he was trying to decide whether or not ANOTHER round of “imprisonment” was warranted or not. “Well, at least I know he’s in good hands, if you’re willing to go that far,” chuckled Farena, and turned to the bird-man nearby. “Damu! Go and instruct the kitchen staff to have lunch ready within the hour!” “Yes, sire,” Damu said, sibilantly, and bowed before flapping his wings and flying off into the sky, disappearing behind the trees of the courtyard. “Follow me inside,” smiled Farena, stepping away from you and straightening his posture again as he waved towards the walkway leading up to the palace doors. “The rest of the family is waiting!” Leona groaned a little louder. “Oh, goody,” he droned. You forced down a snicker; you had a feeling if you laughed at him now, you would most definitely be lion food… …Why was that making it HARDER not to snicker? The two of you followed Farena up to the palace entrance; you idly noticed that Farena carried himself differently than Leona. Leona, for all his antisocial behavior, had a sort of swagger to him, as if he seemed to know all eyes were on him, WANTED all eyes to be on him, and was eager to give those eyes what they wanted to see. His hips were always in constant motion, and his head was always held high with confidence. He COMMANDED your attention. Farena was far less slinky, and didn’t seem to strut; he walked with a sense of strength and straightforward determination. There was still pride in his movements, but it was far less flashy and inviting. It was the walk of someone who knew he had authority but did not want to show off – effectively the opposite of Leona, in some ways. You shook your head to clear it of these thoughts as Farena pushed open the huge red doors that led into the central palace; each bore knockers shaped like golden lion’s heads, with the rings held in their jaws. As you entered the palace, your eyes nearly bugged out of your skull, and your walk slowed to a stop as you behold the colorful, vibrant interior of the place: the foyer was a wide, circular chamber, framed by huge white pillars, with passages leading into the halls of the palace spread out in four different directions. Furniture here was covered in what looked like zebra skin, and the polished tile floor bore the imagery of rhinos milling about. It was almost as green as the courtyard; in front of each pillar was planted a small palm tree, and on either side of each palm tree, one spotted flowers in large clay pots. Paintings and traditional masks of the Savannah region were hung up on the walls, and overhead was a gigantic mural, revealing an oasis where various animals seemed to live in peace and harmony. The color of the lights seemed to bathe all of this splendor and artistry in a fine sheen of warm, pleasant gold…which matched the ornaments you saw hanging from the palm trees. Just like the courtyard, the palace was decorated interiorly for the holiday season: it was such a stark contrast to see the traditional things you were used to in such an exotic place, with holly stuck upon each light, and garland draped between the pillars. There were four mistletoe wreaths, each hung over the entrances of the four halls. “Magnificent, isn’t it?” Farena grinned, a twinkle in his eye as he noticed your awestruck look. You nodded dumbly, not sure of what to say. A moment later, you felt your teeth click against one another, and blinked up at Leona, who was smirking. “Careful, Herbivore; you’ll catch flies,” he purred, and playfully patted your cheek. You blushed. Leona’s teasing smile soon disappeared, however, as a familiar voice came squealing from down one of the halls. “UNCLE LEONA!” You saw Leona’s ears flatten as a look of absolute dread came over him. “Oh, no…here comes trouble…” He turned around…and stumbled, nearly falling over onto his back as what looked like a red-and-yellow blur SLAMMED into his legs. You jumped a bit…then smirked and sniggered as you saw the form of a tiny lion demi, about five years old, happily hugging your boyfriend’s legs. He was purring and mewing with joy, nuzzling Leona’s knees lovingly. “I missed you, Uncle Leona!” Cheka meowed out happily. “Merry Christmas!” Leona blinked down…then sighed, deflating and frowning as he turned his eyes heavenward. “It’s not Christmas yet, runt,” he grunted. “Nope! But it will be soon!” sing-songed Cheka, and happily pulled back, smiling oh-so-innocently and sweetly up at Leona’s face, huge eyes blinking expectantly. “Didja miss me, too, Uncle Leona? Huh? Huh? Didja?” Leona growled and ruffled Cheka’s headfur in response…even as he muttered to himself: “Yeah…just like how I miss having a rash…” You snorted with laughter. Cheka, oblivious, just giggled and half-heartedly swiped at his uncle’s hand…then blinked when he saw you, and smiled hugely. “Oh! Hi, Uncle Leona’s Pet!” You froze and turned red. “His…his wh-what?” you squeaked out. Leona snickered as Farena exclaimed “Cheka!” in a scolding sort of tone. Cheka blinked, looking confused by all the reactions. “But that’s what they are,” he insisted, and nodded eagerly. “Uncle Leona said they were his pet…also his snack…but I like pet more! Pets don’t get eaten!” You tried to speak, but could only sputter. Farena shot Leona a dirty look as he reached down and picked up his son, who still looked naively befuddled by all the responses he’d gotten from his exclamation. “What ideas are you putting into my son’s head this time?” he growled. “I have NO idea what you could mean,” Leona purred in response, with his usual superior, almost taunting smile. “I simply used my own terms of endearment, and the little hairball picked up on them.” Farena glared at the reference to his son as “the little hairball,” but said nothing. “I…I’m used to it, trust me,” you said, trying to defuse things…and wondering how you could admit that those pet names Leona had for you were so casual to dismiss. Nevertheless, it seemed to work, because Farena’s expression became much more calm…though he still gave Leona a look that seemed to say they were going to have a talk about what he said in front of Cheka. Again. “Cheka,” Farena said to his son, who blinked and flicked his tail cutely as he watched his father intently, hanging onto every word the king said. “The human is NOT Uncle Leona’s ‘pet,’ as you put it. They are his prospective mate; his significant other.” Cheka tilted his head, one ear flicking. “Sig…sigificent otter?” “Significant other,” growled Leona, monotonously. “It means a boyfriend or a girlfriend, in this case.” “Ohhhhhh,” Cheka nodded slowly…then grinned anew, perking up. “So, does that mean Uncle Leona’s gonna get married?” Leona facepalmed. You let out a mousey squeak. Farena laughed and gave his son an affectionate chuck on the chin, making Cheka giggle more. “Well, Circle of Life be willing,” he winked. “EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” squealed Cheka, bouncing in his father’s arms and clapping excitedly. “Can I spread the flowers? Huh? Can I, Dad? Pleeeeeaaase?” “How do you know anything about weddings?” snapped Leona, suddenly, and looked to Farena. “The brat’s five years old! Furthermore,” he went on, snapping back to Cheka, “It’s the GIRL’S job to spread the flowers!” Before Farena could respond, Cheka answered instead: “Mom told me about how she and dad got married. And carrying the ring sounds boooooring. I wanna have the flowers! I’ll throw ‘em like a ninja!” The boy began throwing his arms out, making “fwoosh!” sounds as he mimed throwing flowers all over the place. Farena shook his head with a slightly bashful grin of his own, while Leona buried his face in BOTH hands this time, muttering something in Swahili; you weren’t sure, but you thought it was something along the lines of, “Chernabog, give me strength.” By this point, you were beaming from ear to ear, not sure which of these reactions made you smile more. Just then, a gentle chuckle came from the hall, and the sound of soft footsteps caught your ear. You looked up, and saw a lioness demi approaching. She was not unusually buff and tough, the way the near-Amazonian guards you’d met were, but her form was still toned and athletic; a fact visible even under the robes she wore, which matched Farena’s (aside from the cut and size, naturally). Her eyes were the same as her husband’s and her son’s, and though she was not very old, you could see signs of care in her face; the face of a strong but caring mother. “You boys,” she smirked, eyeing both Leona and Farena with a twinkle of amusement in her eye, before looking to Cheka. “Sweetheart, are you causing trouble for your Uncle again?” “No, Mom!” Cheka chirruped with a happy little smile. “I’m being good! I am!” “That’s exactly what the trouble is,” grumbled Leona to himself…then he caught the eye of the lioness, and bowed his head respectfully as he said aloud: “Good afternoon, Selena.” “Good afternoon, Leona,” Selena answered, with a respectful bow of her own head…which she cocked to one side, her short blonde hair shifting slightly as she noticed you. “And who is this?” You almost bowed again…but you remembered how Farena had responded to that, and thought better of it. Instead, you smiled and politely introduced yourself. Selena hummed thoughtfully, raising an eyebrow as you explained you were Leona’s “prospective mate,” and looked you up and down. There was a critical look in her eye, and you got the feeling she was testing you in some way. You wished you knew what the test was; you weren’t sure if you were passing it or not. Apparently, whatever she was looking for, she decided it was good enough, as she smiled and greeted you in a patient, kind manner. “It’s a pleasure to meet you; I’ve been looking forward to meeting my brother-in-law’s favorite human. We don’t get very many of them here, you see…” “They probably think we’re going to rip them apart, or something,” the king shrugged, carelessly. You gulped nervously. Selena gave her husband a chiding look. “Farena, you’ll scare our guest,” she said, gently. “Oh!” Farena exclaimed, and gave you an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. We’re lions; it’s a habit.” “It’s alright,” you admitted, but you did still feel a bit worried; it suddenly occurred to you that you WERE, in fact, in a house full of predatory creatures. You knew that Leona ate people on occasion…and Savanaclaw was bad enough. Now you were on the pride’s home turf, with no rules about not eating other students to keep you safe. Leona must have sensed your distress, because he growled and pulled you close. You couldn’t tell if his grip was possessive, protective, or a perfect blend of both…but either way, you were happy to have it. “I’d like to get to my room now,” Leona said, somewhat crisply, addressing Selena. He indicated the bag he still carried and added: “I need to put this down, and I think it would be a good idea to show my human where we’ll be staying during the holiday.” “Why, certainly!” the Queen smiled, and stepped beside Farena and Cheka. “We’ll make sure you two have privacy, yes?” “That would be appreciated,” Leona agreed. “Absolutely,” smiled Farena, and looked to you. “Lunch will be ready soon; one of our servants will go to your room and inform you once it’s done.” “Thank you,” you smiled. “You’re all very kind.” “Well,” Farena smirked. “If our resident sourpuss here likes you so much, there has to be a good reason.” Leona growled and scowled, but said nothing. “We rest our case,” Selena chuckled, then bowed her head once more to you. “Please, make yourself at home.” “Thank you,” you said again, and the Royal Family turned to leave. “Bye-Bye, Not-A-Pet!” Cheka called out, waving to you as his father carried him off. The laughter of his parents made your blush return. “Well,” you sighed, once they were gone, and turned to Leona. “They seem-” You froze and gulped nervously at the strict glare you received as he released you and crossed his arms, glowering at you like a father scolding their child. You blushed and rubbed your arm. “…You’re…um…s-still mad about me telling Farena that story, aren’t you?” “You are lucky the kid’s comments on your status made me smile, snack meat,” he returned, and smirked as you flinched a bit at the words and blushed anew. The smirk faded quickly as he then added: “I have to deal with enough from my family and the servants, do NOT embarrass me in front of them.” “I’m sorry,” you apologized, sincerely and softly. “I’ll…I didn’t mean to…” “It’s fine,” Leona sighed, and shook his head…then lifted it high and smirked in his usual, sly manner. “Well, let’s not waste time; the sooner I get to my room, the sooner I can get in a quick catnap before lunch.” So saying, he took hold of your arm, turned and began to walk away, guiding you after him. “Follow me and stay close,” he rumbled. “I don’t want any stray predators thinking you’re a free meal.” He grinned and added: “The only one that gets to gobble you up alive is ME.” You really, REALLY wished him saying things like that DIDN’T somehow sound romantic. The two of you headed down a long corridor and towards an elevator. You were a little surprised by ELEVATORS in the palace, at first – wasn’t this basically just a big house? However, the more you thought about it, and remembered the size of the building itself, the more you realized an elevator made sense. Leona pressed a button and leaned back against the rear wall of the elevator, eyes closed as he folded his arms. For a few moments there was silence, as the hum of machinery filled your ears, and the lift rose steadily. “Your family seems to like me,” you finally spoke up. “Mm-hm,” Leona grunted, nonchalantly, not bothering to open his eyes. “That’s…ah…that’s a good thing, right?” Leona opened his eyes and gave you a half-lidded look of mildly annoyed confusion. “Why wouldn’t it be?” You smiled thinly, trying to decide how to word things; Leona seemed to pick up on what you were thinking, and snorted before closing his eyes again. “If they hadn’t approved of you, it wouldn’t change anything,” he growled. “You’re my prey, and I’m keeping you as long as I want to keep you. And since they do, that means I don’t have to deal with them griping and whining about that crap. I’m not jealous, if that’s what you’re thinking.” “I wasn’t entirely sure what I was thinking,” you admitted. “But…I am happy.” Leona just grunted again. You glanced towards the back from the Mystery Shop, then up at his face. “What’s in there?” Leona smiled slyly, and opened one eye. It glimmered. “Wanted to pick up a present for someone,” he said, simply, then yawned and closed his eyes again. “I’ll need to go out again later.” He paused, then added: “When I leave, I want you to stay in my room as much as you can.” “How come?” “It’s easy to get lost in the palace if you don’t know your way around,” he responded. “I don’t wanna have to go hunting you down for hours because you got stupid and curious.” “Your concern is touching,” you droned. Leona just smirked and chuckled, brushing some hair away from his scarred eye. “I’ll make sure one of the servants is around to help out if you need anything.” “Will they, um…be a lion?” “Lion or lioness, yeah, probably. But don’t worry. If they touch you, I’ll bite off their head.” The graphic image made you shudder, but you couldn’t help but feel a flutter in your heart. He’d spoken it casually and carelessly, as if it was just a foregone conclusion…but all this time, he was so…WORRIED about you. About how you’d react to things. You weren’t used to Leona showing that even a little. You smiled and cuddled against his side. The lion-man looked down at you…smirked with affection, and kissed the top of your head. “So, any idea what lunch will be?” you suggested. “Delicious,” Leona responded, without a breath of hesitation, then added, “If it isn’t, I suppose I already have a good lunch set up, don’t I?” He licked his lips and you looked away quickly, red in the face. “…Is…s-seriously, is teasing me just YOUR kink?” you stuttered. Leona purred and tilted your head up with one hand. He leaned close to you, and for a moment, you thought he might kiss you full on the lips…until you notice the way his throat was bobbing and heard soft gulping noises… You turned redder yet as you realized what he was doing: he was swallowing air, and you had a feeling you knew why. Leona grinned toothily as he finished, then pressed on his belly with his free hand… …Before letting out a deep, guttural belch right in your face. “UUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRLLLLLLLKP…haaaaaah,” he sighed, expelling hot, steaming breath over you before finally pulling back. “That answer your question, Herbivore?” You blinked, a loopy look on your face and hears practically in your eyes, swaying in place. “Yep,” you said simply. Leona just laughed.

It was not long after that when lunch was served. Lunch, you found, was far more extravagant than you honestly expected lunch – even at a literal palace – to be. It wasn’t a great feast or banquet, granted: yourself, Leona, and his family were all seated in a relatively small chamber that seemed to be a private dining room; not a huge hall, but still richly decorated with a candlelit chandelier over the heads of all. However, the food served was not only of particularly fantastic quality and style, but in pretty large portion sizes. A three course meal had been prepared, starting with an appetizer of antelope stew (which didn’t taste too different from venison), followed by a main course of barbequed warthog ribs, and finished off by a bowl of Kaimati – a dish that reminded you of pancake balls, being fried dumplings covered in syrup and powdered sugar – for dessert. You had half-expected some exotic drink to be served up, but simple fruit punch had been the beverage of choice all around. In all the time you’d known Leona, you’d learned that he was NOT a person for table manners; he ate greedily and gluttonously, without any real restraint, belching loud and proud between bites and demanding more just when anybody thought he was full already. He could eat himself into near-immobility at a rapid pace…one of many things you loved about him. Lunch with Leona’s family, however, was different. Oh, he still ate a LOT, they ALL did. Even Cheka, it turned out, could eat more than his fair share for his size. You guessed it just had to be a lion thing; big beasts with big appetites, even in demi form. HOWEVER, not a single one of them – not even Leona – ate half as messily as you remembered from Night Raven. Leona was actually quite calm as he ate, and remained largely silent throughout the meal. He kept glancing towards Selena, and you guessed that she may have had something to do with it. There had been one moment where Cheka had CHOMPED down into his helping of warthog ribs, getting a face covered in barbeque sauce. He had let out a squeaking mew and jumped as he pulled back, cheeks stuffed, blinking in surprise. Leona had snorted with laughter at his nephew’s distress, while Selena frowned and wiped the boy’s face off with a napkin. “Cheka, where are your manners?” she chided. “You know you can’t just go warthog on a meal like that!” “But Uncle Leona does it all the time!” Cheka protested innocently. “I’ve seen him!” Leona stopped laughing then, when Selena’s eye shot towards him, while Farena just rolled his eyes and shook his head, amused by all this as he continued to eat. As for you…you ate what you could, but there was no way you could finish lion-sized portions, and you felt it would be bad form for you to NOT enjoy everything you could during the luncheon. Thankfully, each of the three adults offered to finish up each course for you: Selena had finished the stew, Ferena had taken the ribs, and Leona himself had indulged in the Kaimati you had left over. By the time it was all over, the three lions sighed. You blushed bright red as you suddenly found a whole family of predators was surrounding you with round, thick bellies – each one roughly as big as a watermelon. “Oooooh…my tummy feels happy,” twittered Cheka. “That goes for all of us son,” Farena said…then grunted and repressed a rumbling burp with one fist. “HHHHRRRRLLLLMMMMPH…oof, sorry,” he apologized, sincerely. “Excuse me.” “You’re excused,” you peeped, hoping you didn’t sound as flustered as you felt. Leona just scoffed. “Weak,” he mumbled, and Cheka – who, much to his dismay, was seated beside him – giggled and smiled, swishing his tail at his Uncle’s judgment. “Was lunch to your liking?” Selena asked you. “Oh, I bet they had the time of their lives,” smirked Leona, giving you a teasing smirk as he leaned back slightly, making his rounded belly stick out a bit more. You blushed bright red, and tried to hide it as you fidgeted in your seat. “It…um…i-it was delicious, thank you,” you nodded to Selena. Leona grinned toothily in a knowing, predatory manner, and licked his teeth. None of the other three lions seemed to notice, but you sure as Hades did. “Well, I for one, am stuffed,” sighed Farena. “Saaaame,” sighed Cheka. Selena nodded and chuckled, patting her own stomach, indicating she was quite full, too. You saw Leona dip his head and growl softly, and smiled faintly. You knew your kitty, and you knew he could have packed away ALL of the food and probably still had room for a last glass of punch. “I could go for more,” he said, rather casually and carelessly. “Now, Leona, you ate more than the rest of us combined,” Selena half-teased and half-scolded. “I think you’ve had enough.” You begged to differ, but said nothing. Leona shrugged, as if it didn’t mean anything to him, and took a drink from his punch…but you caught the disappointment in his eyes. A wicked little decision to correct that issue came to your head…and it wasn’t long till you found your chance. A clock somewhere struck, and Leona sighed in a world-weary sort of way, as if the clock were Ruggie nagging him about studying for his alchemy exam. “I’ve gotta run,” he grumbled. “If I don’t leave now, too many of the shops will be closed.” “You really shouldn’t save your shopping till the last minute, you know,” Farena advised. “By the time you get around to it-” “Whatever, whatever,” growled Leona, waving him off and brushing some of his mane out of his face. He flicked his tail in your direction and smirked. “Nobody touches my snack, alright?” You blushed bright red. Farena sighed. “Leona…” He didn’t finish before Leona turned his back on him and strutted out. Farena looked towards you. “I hope you don’t mind him talking about you like that.” “Trust me, it’s fine,” you said, omitting the part about how it made you warm under the collar. Judging from the smirk on Selena’s face, she, if not her husband, could guess it, anyway. “Leona suggested I stay in our room – his room – till he gets back,” you said…then smiled timidly. “But, ah…if your royal duties won’t keep you…do you think one of you could give me a proper tour?” “I will handle any official business that comes our way,” Selena said with a kindly smile. “Yaaaaay! I wanna take Uncle Leona’s Not-Pet on a tour! Can I, can I? Pleeeeeaaase?” Cheka begged, bouncing in his seat. “Not alone, son,” chuckled Farena, and ruffled his boy’s hair, before smiling to you. “I’ll be happy to show you around.” “Thank you, Your Majesty,” you said. Farena scoffed. “No need for that ‘Majesty’ nonsense; Farena is fine for you.” You blinked. “Oh…uh…thank you, Farena.” “Don’t mention it,” the King said, smiling a little wider, then rose from his seat. He chuckled as Cheka immediately shot out his arms, making little “grabby hands” up at his father. With a light growl, the demi-lion king picked up his son, and gave him a little bounce, making him squeal, before settling him around his broad shoulders. “Come; follow me, and stay close,” Farena said. “Adventure! Away!” cheered Cheka, puffing out his chest and pointing out dramatically with one hand. You rolled your eyes and smiled, and followed Farena, giving Selena a parting wave. She bowed her head respectfully, and summoned some servants to clean the table. As you moved into the hallway and out of the Queen’s earshot, you moved closer to Farena. “Um…Your Majest-I mean, Farena...” “Yes?” “There’s one more thing…can I make a special request?” Farena tilted his head curiously; Cheka, who heard you whispering, tilted his head, too, in the opposite direction. “I suppose so,” the King said. “What is it?” “It’s my first night in the palace with my boyfriend,” you stated. “I…I know you probably eat together as a family all the time, but…for tonight, at dinner…could I ask that Leona and I be allowed to have some privacy in our room? I…want to get him something special, just between the two of us.” Farena smiled kindly. “Damu will have a fit at the change in protocol,” he chortled. “But then, my brother never really has CARED for it, anyway. Very well: you’ll have your private supper tonight. On one condition.” “What’s that?” Farena grinned toothily. “You treat us to some of your cooking on Christmas,” he purred, and winked. “Don’t think my little brother didn’t tell me about those skills of yours.” You blushed a little, gulped, then nodded. “D-Deal…heh…so, um…what else did your brother tell you anyway?” Farena smiled mysteriously. “Now that would be telling, wouldn’t it?” You couldn’t be sure, but you had the sinking feeling Farena wanted to end that question with the phrase “snack meat” tied on at the end. You remained flustered throughout much of the tour.