Private Tales Cat and Dog

[Ōjo Akane]

The Alliran smirked at the girl's reaction. Seemed she was feeling as vigorous as he was. That was good. It was always bothersome if they were done for the night before he was. But they had good reason to. Unlike him they did not have unnatural levels of stamina only a beast in human skin could possess.

While the girl's calling him Master was a bit odd given he told her that she was no slave, he accepted it all the same. Arguing would just get in the way of their fun.

"Good girl." Acteon said in response before he leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips.

Calling him Master was more along the lines of petplay than anything. She met the kiss meekly, letting herself be taken into bliss.

Amber eyes fluttered open as the barely audible sounds of morning activities reached sleeping ears. Acteon waited for the haze to lift before attempting to get up. He stopped when he noticed another body close to his sharing the space beneath the sheets. It was just the girl. They had ended up moving from her bed to his to sleep after their fun.

The Allirian slowly got himself out of the bed and did his best not to wake up. She was his now and that afforded some consideration. Once out of bed he hunted down his clothes and slipped them on. Then he sat down at the table and began to mule over the map of the local area once more. He needed to get it as best into memory as he could. It could prove useful if something happened.

He felt no need to wake Akane up. Soon enough the both of them would be too busy to enjoy such pleasantries as a bed and the quiet of the rising sun.

As he stirred he'd hear her soft purring as she was cuddled into his side, her seven tails curling up with her. she lightly clutched him, as though worried he'd leave. As he rose he'd feel her subconsciously try to pull him back, it wasn't very strong nor intent, more of a request than an attempt to keep him there, but ultimately she kept sleeping, purring all the while. It seems she was quite satisfied by the previous night.

It would be about fifteen minutes before she woke up, stretching and yawning as she did. Standing up she said, "Morning."

 

[Acteon Cass]

The rustling of sheets meant the girl was up. He had already finished getting the map into memory and moved onto dealing with his ledger. For a noble or sellsword this would be very strange as it was the sort of important busy work typical for a trader or merchant. A sort of comfort activity, but he also needed to sort out what he exactly had to work with. Would be meaningless if he spent too much of his coin here when it had other places it needed to go in the future.

"Morning. You can sleep longer. Once we begin our mission I can not promise there will be another chance for some time." Acteon said as his gaze stayed on the numbers and letters in his book.

He turned a page, paused, and then turned it back to the previous page. "How will your guards react?" He idly tapped at his neck to indict he was referring to her new collar. It still made the faint chime only the most sensitive ears could hear as she moved around. Truly she was becoming more and more of a pet cat. Was that a good or a bad thing for him?

Ōjo Akane

 

[Ōjo Akane]

"Morning. You can sleep longer. Once we begin our mission I can not promise there will be another chance for some time." Acteon said as his gaze stayed on the numbers and letters in his book.

"I appreciate it, but I need to get up, the samurai should be getting back soonish so we need to be ready for them. Besides we have plots to put in motion." She commented. "And two sets of hands are usually better than one."

He turned a page, paused, and then turned it back to the previous page. "How will your guards react?" He idly tapped at his neck to indict he was referring to her new collar. It still made the faint chime only the most sensitive ears could hear as she moved around. Truly she was becoming more and more of a pet cat. Was that a good or a bad thing for him?

"Actually, I think it will put them a little more at ease, since now I'm technically your woman according to our people." She said to him. "Now they'll be less inclined to kill you at any opportunity. And more inclined to support this as a legitimate relationship between two people, and my belonging to a westerner is likely to help relations with the west. So really, it shouldn't be a problem."

 

[Acteon Cass]

Acteon listened to what Akan had to say in response with his eyes still on his ledger book. The talk about her people's customs was as foreign as usual, but at least the collar meant they would cooperate and stop looking for reasons to impale him. The improved relations with the West was a bit of wishful thinking however. They could think and hope for as much as they wanted, but he had no plans on letting her becoming his more or less pet sway how he planned to operate in the future. If they could not prove their own worth to him then he would simply cut them loose.

The allirian finally closed and wrapped his journal back up. Into his pack it went after he stood up. Then he walked around to pick up the girl's scattered clothing. He brought it over to her and set it onto the bed. Then he began to pick up what he assumed was the wraps for her undergarments.

"Your guards keeping their eyes less on me and more on everything else will be helpful. Not as if they could have stopped me from doing as I pleased with you before." Acteon said as he held out the garment in a way that made it clear he was intending to help her get dressed.

"I had you snatched up and out of your camp before any of them noticed. Out ran them for days. Had my way with you in the cave, which was the only reason they caught up to us. And I had plenty of chances to take your life if I wanted to the entire time. They know what happened in the cave. Did they really expect I would hand you over or kill you after that?"

Ōjo Akane

 

[Ōjo Akane]

The allirian finally closed and wrapped his journal back up. Into his pack it went after he stood up. Then he walked around to pick up the girl's scattered clothing. He brought it over to her and set it onto the bed. Then he began to pick up what he assumed was the wraps for her undergarments.

"Your guards keeping their eyes less on me and more on everything else will be helpful. Not as if they could have stopped me from doing as I pleased with you before." Acteon said as he held out the garment in a way that made it clear he was intending to help her get dressed.

She rolled her eyes, much as she liked this man she couldn't deny that he was arrogant in a lot of ways, especially when it came to other warriors. His philosophy consisted of hit harder to win quicker, theirs was hit more frequently and avoid being hit over a long period of time. He was more of a fire to a tree, they were more like water on rock. But it was useless to argue, besides, they had more pressing matters to deal with.

She put on her undergarments then allowed him to help her put on the dress, "They're better at their job than you give them credit for. Their persistence is a strength, and if I recall correctly, you had no idea they were there until there was a sword to your neck."

Did they really expect I would hand you over or kill you after that?"

"It has less to do with that and more about making sure my vengeance was taken, since I was largely incapable of doing so, it would be their duty to take vengeance on my behalf." She explained.

 

[Acteon Cass]

The girl was defending her guards. Admirable. Now if only they could begin to show results that justified that defense. Until then as far as he was concerned only one member of the group had shown any level of competency and skill: Akane. The rest had shown loyalty, but loyalty only got you so far.

The Alliran might not have been allowed to help with her body wraps, but she did let him help with the rest. That was good. There was a few reasons he had done so. The act would hopefully keep the girl more endeared to him and less likely to want to stab him in his sleep. She also needed to be dressed if they were going to head out into public. As charming of a sight she might be without clothes on, it was not socially acceptable to walk around naked in public and he could not have either of them souring their reputations here just yet.

But the most important reason was so he could learn how these foreign clothes were meant to be worn. If trade with her land might open up then wealthier members of Reach society might get interested in wearing the clothes. Knowing how to put them on would help in getting people to come to him instead of his competition. Practical economics was always worth keeping in mind.

"Oh? Get your vengeance? Should I be worried about them claiming vengeance for last night? Or would you rather do so personally?" Acteon said with a smirk on his face as he was tying her sash in the way he had seen her do it a few times now.

Ōjo Akane

 

[Ōjo Akane]

"Oh? Get your vengeance? Should I be worried about them claiming vengeance for last night? Or would you rather do so personally?" Acteon said with a smirk on his face as he was tying her sash in the way he had seen her do it a few times now.

"No vengeance necessary, it wasn't as if I was unwilling." She said, watching him tie the belt around her waist, she looked up at him. "You've been paying attention. Should I see about getting you a sample of men's clothing from my homeland? It wouldn't be any trouble."

Once she was clothed she sheathed her daggers as she had the past few times, in crossed sheaths in the small of her back. Then she donned the cloak/open-front poncho that would help keep her dry in the rain. It wasn't much more than a small blanket shaped to fit over the shoulders. "The samurai should be along fairly soon."

As if on cue there was a knock at the door. She opened the door for them and a familiar, gruff voice said, "Watashitachi wa kare o mitsukemashita."

She turned to him and said, "They found him."

 

[Acteon Cass]

"Unfortunate. I will have no excuse to tie you up in self defense then. " Acteon responded with a smirk as he finished with her sash. He looked at her face as she asked about getting him male clothing. "Perhaps next time. For now we have other priorities."

As if to emphasis his point, there came a knock at the door not long after she finished clothing herself. The girl spoke with one of her guards in their native language. Then she revealed the news.

Acteon smiled at her. "Excellent. Gather your guards and belongings. I will settle up with the owner then we can begin our plans."

He went over to his stuff and grabbed his pack. He went to the door and said, "I will meet you outside kitten."

Then Acteon did as he said. She would find him waiting outside the inn watching the people going about their day.

Ōjo Akane

 

[Ōjo Akane]

"Unfortunate. I will have no excuse to tie you up in self defense then. " Acteon responded with a smirk as he finished with her sash. He looked at her face as she asked about getting him male clothing. "Perhaps next time. For now we have other priorities."

"You needn't an excuse to tie me up Acteon. It's a fairly big part of most love lives in my home nation, it is actually pretty normal." She said to him with a giggle.

Acteon smiled at her. "Excellent. Gather your guards and belongings. I will settle up with the owner then we can begin our plans."

"The others are waiting with the young lord you seek." The samurai informed him. "He ran into some complications by the time we found him."

It seems most of the samurai spoke Western Common, a boon and probably a danger if Acteon wasn't careful about what he said. Akane nodded her understanding to her guard then turned to Acteon.

He went over to his stuff and grabbed his pack. He went to the door and said, "I will meet you outside kitten."

"I won't be long." She said simply.

She wasn't long, apparently eastern women knew the meaning of haste, as he had scarcely waited half a minute before she was outside with her guard. She spoke to the guard in their native tongue, then to Acteon. "He'll take us to the lord."

 

[Acteon Cass]

There was little Acteon could learn about the community before the girl joined him. Mostly they seemed to be going about their days with that general depressed pessimism typical of a town knowing famine was at their doors. They worked in a vain hope to prevent what was already inevitable. Farming was a venture in planning and daily diligence after all and they were already a year behind. Nature was more cruel than any merchant or lord.

Acteon turned to Akane. He had a serious look on his face. "Excellent, but first we need to finish our business in this town. I assume your men can hold out that long. Is that correct?"

The Allirian did not look at the guard who would lead them. His gaze was directed at the one he wanted to answer his question: Akane. She was their leader so she would be the one to decide. Either she trusted their skill was sufficient or she would trust it was not. Either way it was her decision now. And Acteon expected a quick one.

Ōjo Akane

 

[Ōjo Akane]

Acteon turned to Akane. He had a serious look on his face. "Excellent, but first we need to finish our business in this town. I assume your men can hold out that long. Is that correct?"

She glanced at her guard, who nodded in affirmation, she was not going to make assumptions. No matter the skill, they were still only four people, and if they were against an army it was only a matter of time before they lost, unless they pulled something absolutely brilliant, to the point of being madness, off. She looked at him, "Yes they can hold out a little while longer."

He expression was no less serious. She may be a pet cat to him, but cats, even as pets, could easily prove dangerous to many people. They were apex predators after all. And she had some very sharp claws.

 

[Acteon Cass]

The girl had trust in her men it seemed. Good. If they could not win some favor for the heir or lose some favor for the usurper with the commoners then things would be harder in the future. For now it was best they move along with their plans as quickly as possible.

"Kitten, I need you to mention the outposts to the locals. Say it must have taken the new lord years to build them. He has only been in power for less than one. Ask who did and mention the mercenaries in them. Try to convince them how dangerous providing fortifications to foreigners is. Especially so if they have no weapons." Acteon said the Akane. "I will speak with the smith to secure weapons for the locals and get the idea of supporting the heir in his mind."

The Allirian looked about the town. It was primed for disaster and so perfect to influence. That same tactic the usurper used on his lord could be used against him now. The man was a fool for only finishing the lord's work and not dealing with the issues that followed.

Acteon looked back to Akane. "Ready?"

Ōjo Akane

 

[Ōjo Akane]

"Kitten, I need you to mention the outposts to the locals. Say it must have taken the new lord years to build them. He has only been in power for less than one. Ask who did and mention the mercenaries in them. Try to convince them how dangerous providing fortifications to foreigners is. Especially so if they have no weapons." Acteon said the Akane. "I will speak with the smith to secure weapons for the locals and get the idea of supporting the heir in his mind."

She nodded her understanding, if there was one thing she knew best it was how to expose secrets, and distort facts. She knew of the outposts, but hadn't seen one, but apparently there were several, and it wouldn't be hard to say that she as a foreigner ran across a few minor stone buildings that could easily be small stone castles. So really, it was just a matter of making people think that they're the ones who figured this out by getting the information out of her. Not that much of a problem.

Acteon looked back to Akane. "Ready?"

"Of course."

 

[Acteon Cass]

Acteon gave Akane a smile when she answered. Finally it was time to get this revenge plot going. Not only had the usurper tried to back out of their agreement and kill him, but the man wanted what was Acteon's. Certainly not at the time but now the girl was his. He would not let thieves off easily. And he had more to gain from it all than just the girl. So he was ready.

Acteon took Akane's hand. A soft kiss was laid upon it. "Till we reunite Lady Akane." With that Acteon took a step back and then turned to leave. A quick show of his manners to let her know they did exist.

The smith was arguing with another local already about the price they could get for their weapon. Right as it was getting heated, the Allirian stepped in. He pulled out several silver coins. He handed it over to the person trying to sell their weapon. A smile on his face. "Here. Keep your spear."

The woodcutter, which was known by his sap covered clothes and hatchet, looked visibly confused. Acteon said, "You never know when you might need to defend yourself and your people. Sad that your new lord does not care if you die."

The woodcutter froze up a bit then they grew angry. Before another word could be said however the smith frowned and motioned for them to leave. The local looked between them a moment then left with their spear and silver.

"Stirring up trouble stranger." The smith said. A near sneer formed on his face directly solely on Acteon. "What are you after?"

Acteon's smile grew more wolf like. "Your stock of weapons and armor and a moment of your time."

Ōjo Akane

 

[Ōjo Akane]

Acteon took Akane's hand. A soft kiss was laid upon it. "Till we reunite Lady Akane." With that Acteon took a step back and then turned to leave. A quick show of his manners to let her know they did exist.

She smiled at him when he kissed her hand, and she offered him a subservient bow. He left, and she did the same, she repeated Acteons instructions to her guard and told him to do the same thing, and that if he learned that she had told someone he spoke with about the outposts he was to confirm her story. He bowed with the word "Hai" before leaving to do just that.

She found her way to the masons guild and overheard an argument over prices. Apparently one of the lord's men was sent to purchase more stone to build a chapel of some kind in the town. The mason told him that they didn't have enough, and the guard demanded to know why. A few cleverly timed questions and a few answers and the information was out, the lord had spent so many resources of the outposts that there was basically nothing left for anything else. She left the masons guild and went elsewhere, doing the exact same thing.

 

[Acteon Cass]

The smith scowled at Acteon's words. "Weapons and armor you might get cheap, but you don't have enough to ever buy my time."

The man spit on the ground near Acteon. "Leave me to my work. Got no time for jokes."

The Allirian was annoyed, but it did not show. His face held the smile. Instead he moved to block the smith from returning to his forge. "Who said I was joking? I am very serious. Your new lord does not care if you die. That pile of scrap is proof."

A grown and look of murder was on the smith's face. He remained silent for a moment before his eyes went to the pile of weapons and armor his neighbors had been selling back to him for weeks. His eyes went back to Acteon.

"Talk. Waste my time though and I'll strike you with my hammer instead of my iron."

==============================

Akane's actions did not go unnoticed. The usurper's man that had been after stone came up to her with a look of utter hatred on his face. People rushed away from him as he did without offering any resistance. They wanted to stay out of his way.

"You the foreign bitch who has been spreading lies around town today?" The man snapped at her. One hand was on the hilt of his shortsword and the other was balled into a pale fist. He stood before her in a simple brigandine and colorful clothes on. Everyone else around them was in undyed wool and leather.

A woodcutter with a spear in one hand, a few silvers in the other, and a frown on his face. He looked like he was having a bad day. So when he heard someone call someone else a foreign bitch he stopped to watch. Maybe someone else having a bad day would make his better.

Ōjo Akane

 

[Ōjo Akane]

"You the foreign bitch who has been spreading lies around town today?" The man snapped at her.

She cocked her head to the side, as if genuinely confused. "What reason would I have to lie? It's not like they'd serve a purpose." Then her ears folded back as though annoyed, "And please, I'm closer to a cat than I am a dog. So that word is quite rude."

She, evidently, wasn't intimidated, he was clearly a man with little experience, and she'd be able to outmaneuver him with no difficulty whatsoever. And her sai daggers would be perfect for handling a man in brigandine, precise and narrow, honestly they'd slip through mail as though it weren't there.

 

[Acteon Cass]

The smith was cautious. An understandable reaction given the state of things. But the man was willing to listen and that was all the Allirian needed from him.

"Your new lord has left your land in a dire condition. Famine forming. Mercenaries and merchants hoarding your coins away one copper at a time." Acteon said to the man as he spoke a bit with his hands.

"Mercenaries pay for food with coin that is later taxed from you to pay for their wages. So you have no coin and no food. You sell your means of protecting yourself for a few coins to eat for another day. But now you have no weapons to use to fight back if the mercenaries turn on you or fail at stopping raids."

The smith frowned as he listened. An awkward silence past before he said, "Everything is being taken from us. Your point?"

Acteon's grin had become fully predatory. "Your new lord manipulated you and killed your true lord. How long until he betrays you? Already has by the look of things. Maybe you should go back to your rightful rule and support your true lord's heir."

The smith just glared at the man for bit. Then he spit on the ground near his own feet. "I can discount the scrap if it is staying local. Still not cheap though. Got the coin to pay for it?"

==============================

The toady scowled at Akane. He made no move to hit her or draw his weapon but he clearly was more irate than before.

"I'll call you what I want in these lands foreign whore." The man spit directly at her.

"You have been lying. Telling people the outposts are why there is no food or coins. How could some stone buildings cause those problems? They are just building! Our Lord had them constructed to fend off raiders and it has worked. But you wouldn't know that because you are just some bitchy cat passing through!"

The crowd and woodcutter just watched the scene without interfering. The loud yelling and crowd had attracted more people. The question of what was going on already was already spreading faster than the plague through them. They were invested.

Ōjo Akane

 

[Ōjo Akane]

"You have been lying. Telling people the outposts are why there is no food or coins. How could some stone buildings cause those problems? They are just building! Our Lord had them constructed to fend off raiders and it has worked. But you wouldn't know that because you are just some bitchy cat passing through!"

"It's true that a building in and of itself doesn't do much harm, but the fact is that they don't need to be that big, they're supposed to be watchtowers right? And from the looks of it, it's mercenaries who are living there, and quite lavishly too. Besides, I was only answering questions or providing explanations. Besides, by the looks of it there's nothing left to raid anyway, so building them at all seems to be a moot point." She said with a level voice, the tips of her seven tails twitching in annoyance. "Well, nothing to raid from the people anyway, all the resources are in the outposts, so really they're the only things worth raiding."

 

[Acteon Cass]

The man clearly was not going to listen to a word Akane was saying. Instead he just scoffed while impatiently waiting for her to finish speaking. She had not been done more than a second before he jumped right back in.

"They are manned by mercenaries so our farmers can tend their fields, woodcutters can chop down their trees, and miners mine stone and iron. It might be a little expensive but it is for their benefit. And they reason there are no raids is because those mercenaries are doing their jobs. People should be thanking them instead of spreading rumors about them."

The crowd murmured amongst itself. Some supported the lord's man. Some agreed with the girl. Most did not care and just wanted to see how things ended. A couple copper coin bets were made in the gambling circles present. No one was convinced one way or the other yet.

The woodcutter was more invested in this discussion than he realized. The words from that stranger at the smith echoed in his head. What the girl said seemed to confirm what that man has. But the lord's man denied it. What was the truth here?

Ōjo Akane

 

[Ōjo Akane]

"They are manned by mercenaries so our farmers can tend their fields, woodcutters can chop down their trees, and miners mine stone and iron. It might be a little expensive but it is for their benefit. And they reason there are no raids is because those mercenaries are doing their jobs. People should be thanking them instead of spreading rumors about them."

"Then why is it that these people see none of what they reap?" She asked, still as level-headed as ever. "I see no grain being held by these people for their own families. Why should they thank mercenaries who are starving them? Besides, what need is there for mercenaries when the lord clearly has men on his payroll who can man those outposts themselves? The way I see it, you're here to make sure that people's voices are silenced, as opposed to protecting them like you should be doing in the place of those mercenaries. It's simple logic, those mercenaries are doing more harm than good, and are unnecessary to boot."

 

[Acteon Cass]

"There is no grain because the raids were finally put a stop to by our lord not long ago. Farmers couldn't work their fields so of course there is shortages. If the mercenaries don't have food then they can't stop the raiding parties in the future. People have to eat leaner meals for now but that is a small price for safety." The man spouted back immediately.

The crowd seemed a bit divided yet again. They understood the lord's man was saying the truth but their empty bellies and emptier wallets made the foreigners word carry some weight. So for now they were still just listening.

"And as for why I'm here it was to secure stone and lumber for a new temple. That means work for them so they can earn coins to feed themselves from traveling grain merchants." The man said after taking a pause to judge the crowd's reaction. His new mention of coin got a hopeful grumble to run through the people at the prospect of food and coin. He smiled at this.

"Not as smart as you think you foreign bitch."

Ōjo Akane

 

[Ōjo Akane]

"There is no grain because the raids were finally put a stop to by our lord not long ago. Farmers couldn't work their fields so of course there is shortages. If the mercenaries don't have food then they can't stop the raiding parties in the future. People have to eat leaner meals for now but that is a small price for safety." The man spouted back immediately.

"So what you're saying is that mercenaries who can cut and run at any more generous offer or even the slightest hint that their pay will stall are more important to your lord than his own people?" She was a fairly good actor, and she was playing the role of someone who was just trying to help, that way the people who take her side think that it was extrapolated or learned not given, which would further solidify their beliefs.

"And as for why I'm here it was to secure stone and lumber for a new temple. That means work for them so they can earn coins to feed themselves from traveling grain merchants." The man said after taking a pause to judge the crowd's reaction. His new mention of coin got a hopeful grumble to run through the people at the prospect of food and coin. He smiled at this.

"Not as smart as you think you foreign bitch."

"He couldn't have sent someone more suited than a soldier to build a holy place? I repeat my previous question, why is it that the outposts are guarded by mercenaries when there are more reliable, professional soldiers available for the lord to man those outposts with. And secondly, I was there at the mason's guild, they're almost entirely out of stone because they built those outposts out of almost all of it. And if these people work to build, they aren't working on crops, which means they have to buy grain, only their salary for working on the temple you mentioned is very limited by the number of mercenaries your lord is using, so there's no guarantee that there will be enough per person to actually feed their families. And the raids on the villages may have stopped, but travelling merchants are not so secure, I know because I myself was ambushed on the way here, which means they will likely steer clear in favor of places both safer and more profitable. Your suggestion that they might buy food has a shaky foundation at best, and the fact is that much of the expenses your lord is paying are completely over the top and far too expensive to actually deal with the problems these people have at the same time."

She sighed, "Listen, I've been nothing but polite, would you please cease referring to me as "Bitch"? It is a very unkind word sir."

 

[Acteon Cass]

The man was annoyed. This foreign animal woman was trying to make things sound bad when they were not. And she was sitting here arguing with him trying to rile up the curious crowd of commoners. First the rumors and now this. He did not want to kill her because it would get him in trouble, but he really wanted to kill her right now.

"Use your head you cat eared whore." The man said to Akane with a sneer. "Grain merchants are common, so it doesn't matter if people need to buy food from them. It doesn't matter if the stone masons have stone now or not. People can just mine more and will get paid for their work for food."

"And for the bandits, you are making them up. There are a few, but they are rare. You just got unlucky. They won't stop the grain merchants coming here. Even if bandits were more common the merchants would still show up here. They can sell to our people and the mercenaries in the outposts. So stop lying you dumb, foreign bitch." The man said then poked her chest with his finger.

The man had no idea what the roads were like right now. He also didn't know if the grain merchants would come this way or not. He was here to get the materials he needed at least ordered and she was getting in the way of these commoners working.

Ōjo Akane

 

[Ōjo Akane]

And for the bandits, you are making them up. There are a few, but they are rare. You just got unlucky. They won't stop the grain merchants coming here. Even if bandits were more common the merchants would still show up here. They can sell to our people and the mercenaries in the outposts. So stop lying you dumb, foreign bitch." The man said then poked her chest with his finger.

"If the bandits aren't there at all, or are so rare as to be of no concern, then there is no need for you to have those mercenaries guarding those outposts at all, and they are nothing but extra baggage at this point." She said stepping away as he poked her, her tails were twitching angrily by now, but she still didn't want a fight. "Which in turn begs the question why are they there if there aren't any bandits to guard against? Your entire argument is moot if what you've just told me is true."