By evening meal, Feral had finished skim reading the books Aumire had given him. He was disappointed they held nothing of use except for one small paragraph that stated none of the kidnapees had ever been returned home and claimed they had adjusted without too much difficulty.
He slammed the book shut after reading that. 'Well I will be the first unadjusted one,' he snarled mentally. Gutaire popped into the room at that moment and told him it was time for dinner. He flicked his fingers and Feral was once more dressed in the barely there clothes the King preferred him in. He never commented on the fact Feral was already dressed in a robe, perhaps thinking the King had done it. This gave rise to an idea, hiding any new abilities on his part could well be of benefit to him when he found a way to escape. For the first time since his kidnaping, he smiled briefly, Gutaire never noticed.
Shaping his face into one of stone he normally used in his job, he followed the mouse down to the throne room. With no sign of emotion, he took his seat next to Bloodnor, not missing the pleased look on the King's face at his apparent submission. He would play the King's game...for now...it was safer that way.
He would nurse his hatred in secret, using it to fuel his fierce desire to return home. As he looked around at his dining companions, he spotted Aumire. He needed to stay on that creatures's good side so he could get free access to the badger's extensive library. Once he had it, he would search until he found something that told him how to shut down the portal as well as how he could keep from being taken again once he was back on his side of it.
With a plan of action, he was able to accept Bloodnor's caress of his thigh, but was thankful the King desisted when the food was served. Hoping to learn what the King's plans were for the next few days, Feral listened intently as Bloodnor spoke angrily about some kind of disturbance on his northern borders.
Apparently, he was annoyed his knights had not been able to discover what the problem was exactly and to add fuel to his anger, King Warkil denied any knowledge of there even being a problem so he was being forced to go see for himself.
As he listened, Feral learned something useful. Bloodnor had been in power for so long, he nor his allies had learned any new strategies for solving their problems. Off the top of his head, Feral could think of several but wasn't about to volunteer his knowledge. Let the King flounder around. His own shortcomings could only be of benefit to Feral's plans and it didn't hurt that the King would be away thus giving him a much needed break from the forced sex.
After dinner, he was wary when the King gave him specific orders to spend time in the harem.
"As consort you are in command of them so get to know them well...their weaknesses and strengths...and show them who is in charge now. They know they must obey you but they are spoiled and pampered so will be resistant. I expect you to do what is necessary to insure they understand very clearly you are to be obeyed and your orders heeded as if they were mine."
"I will do what's required, sir," Feral said formally, while hiding any sign he was unhappy with his orders. He really didn't want anything to do with the harem as he would have no time for them as he searched for his escape, but didn't dare disobey as things had a way of getting to the king way too quickly.
When he was given permission to leave the hall some minutes later, he hurried to get this distasteful task over with quickly.
Reaching the archway of the harem's public area, he hesitated a moment to collect himself. Taking a deep breath, he stepped through the bead curtain to a fully occupied room. The harem apparently liked to congregate after dinner before seeking their beds. They used the time to do a variety of things like: soaking in the pool, having sex, braiding hair, grooming each other, playing games, reading, sewing, or just simply talking.
Except for those few mating couples in the darkened corners of the room, everyone else had ceased their activities to stare at him silently. The only sounds were those of sexual congress.
Stepping completely into the room, he made for a padded chair set along the wall near the archway. Sitting down, he folded his arms over his chest and pointedly stared at the couples having sex for a long moment, making it obvious to the others, he was waiting for them to be done.
He let no emotions leak out as he waited in silence, letting his gaze circle the room. The rest of the harem shifted uncomfortably, eyes sending various messages of confusion, concern, anger, and hatred but no one was willing to speak to him. He ignored the looks and waited for the couples to complete their activity. Noisy crescendos marked the end of the orgies and, only after they had caught their breath, did they note the sudden silence in the room then saw Feral.
Now that he had everyone's full attention, he spoke in that same 'command' tone he used with his enforcers. "The King has informed me that I am in command of the harem. Since this wasn't something I did in my prior life, I have no idea what this job entails, so I require one of you to brief me on the rules."
"I expect complete honesty. If you think to give me inaccurate or misleading information know this...punishment I suffer for that false information will be meted out to the liar swiftly by me. I make no bones about my dissatisfaction with being here but I have no choice. I will do what's required of me. I was a commander of troops and will brook no insubordination from anyone. When you've been given an order to do something, I expect that order to be followed swiftly and completely. Any questions?"
Out of the shadows of another doorway that most likely led to their quarters, the weasel female that had shown him such hatred and disdain upon their first meeting, entered the room.
"Exactly how do you intend to force us to comply?" She asked with lazy insolence.
Feral eyed her a long moment, frowning. These creatures were totally unknown to him so he didn't know their strengths or weaknesses. Since magic was used exclusively here, even the King's punishments were meted out with magic, perhaps a more physical approach would be totally unfamiliar. He hated using brute force but he had to gain order immediately. The harem was a direct threat to him and he needed them cowed if he was to complete the mission he'd set himself.
The weasel female was the perfect target for this 'lesson' as she was the most defiant against his authority. He rose from his seat and casually strolled to her side in a non-threatening manner, his body not giving her any idea what he was up to.
Her eyes narrowed warily and her body tensed but when he did nothing but stand next to her, she looked confused, though her hatred still gleamed hotly from her eyes.
"I don't know. How do you think I should do it?" He asked mildly, looking down at her with an , intimidating stare.
She scowled and tried to look unafraid as she said snottingly, "well, I'm certainly not going to tell you. Figure it our for yourself."
"Really! An excellent idea!" He said in a deceptively mild tone before moving with the swiftness of his kind to swing an open palm at her head, snapping it back and knocking her off her feet into the wall nearby. She hit it with a loud smack then slid to the floor, a shocked and dazed look in her eyes.
He walked over and gazed coldly down at her crumbled form. She flinched away as she stared up at him nervously, her head ringing, a paw coming up to rub a cheek where a rising welt was forming.
"I don't know how to use magic but I do know how to fight. That was mild compared to what I am capable of as a warrior trained in fighting."
Turning away, he gave the harem a stern, cold gaze, noting the shock and fear in their eyes. "I am a warrior!" He roared, raising his fists over his head, showing off his firm and powerful musculature. "No matter what I'm being used as now, I ... am ... still ... a ... warrior...never forget that. Don't expect any form of gentleness from me."
Eyeing them for a long moment and watching their gazes drop from his one after the other, he finally dared to relax and lower his arms having firmly made his point. In a calm, no-nonsense voice, he demanded, "Someone volunteer to tell me my duties, now!"
Silence fell as they stared at each other nervously. Finally, one found the courage to stand up and step forward to answer him. "I will, sir!" It was the rabbit female who had been braiding the fox female's hair when he came in. She was afraid and couldn't meet his eyes but there she stood nonetheless ... he liked her spunk.
Nodding, he grunted, "Good! Is there somewhere we may speak in private?"
"Your room is the most private, sir," she said, timidly.
"No thank you!" His voice dripped disgust and loathing.
"You really don't like doing your duty for the King...do you?" A wolf male ventured to speak, hesitantly, his expression surprised and confused.
Feral didn't answer, merely glared at the wolf showing clearly what his true feelings were on the subject of the King.
Unable to let it go since it seemed so wrong to him, the wolf tried to explain. "We are all lovers of the King and feel greatly blessed to lay with him for he is very skilled in the art of sex. Every one of us wishes to be his favorite but he refuses to chose such, preferring to rotate us as his desires move him. However, since your arrival, he desires only you and no one else which is how it should be when one is the consort. It is a great honor but you spurn his attentions...nay...you truly hate being with him and we cannot understand why this is. Would you please explain, sir?"
Feral sighed, he really didn't want to talk about this but since the wolf clearly wanted to understand his negative feelings and was polite in his asking, he reluctantly answered. "First of all, rape is wrong and that is what the King is doing each and every time he takes me. If I seem to be enjoying it, that's my body not my mind. My body responds favorably to him due to the spell he cast on me but in my mind I rail at his selfishness and my helplessness to stop him. I hate him for that. Where I come from non-consensual sex is illegal and looked upon with abhorrence."
Many gasps of shock and dismay greeted that comment though he was certain it wasn't because they thought rape was a bad thing but that he thought it was. Apparently, it was a common occurrence for them to be taken without their permission, so they thought nothing of it or at least, they knew they had no choice so why object.
"Secondly, I object strongly to being taken from my home by some arrogant and selfish King who wanted me as his concubine for the sole purpose of getting him an heir. My feelings on the matter don't concern him. I'm a possession nothing more."
The wolf frowned, he still wasn't certain he understood what this male was so upset about. "I still don't understand your hostility in this matter, sir. None of us wanted to be taken from our homes, that's true. However, our lives weren't so special that living here was such a bad tradeoff, especially with a generous lover like the King. We're treated well, are fed, clothed, and allowed a modicum of freedom, something none of us truly had in our old lives."
Feral shook his head. These people's homes must have been hell for them to accept this kind of humiliation and virtual slavery as a welcome alternative but that didn't apply to him.
"Your lives may have been so bad that this is considered paradise but for me it's a nightmare. My home may have problems but it contains over six million souls and I am their protector from all those who would try to harm it. My job was important to me...I loved it...it was my life. This..." he gestured to the room at large, "...is a prison and I hate it."
The harem shared similar looks of consternation, shock and fear. This stranger was nothing like the previous newcomers they'd welcomed into the harem. Many felt sympathy for him as it did sound like his world was something truly special and it was unusual for a harem member to have had an important position prior to coming here. No wonder he was unhappy.
Several others simply feared him. They were concerned he would make their lives as miserable as his own since it was obvious he would never accept being the King's consort. This made him dangerous and unpredictable. There was no doubt he was powerful and could possibly match the King's abilities one day...also he was a warrior not a bed slave. Yes, he would be a problem and they had no clue how to handle this new development.
The weasel female had recovered and gotten to her feet, but kept her distance and remained subdued, as she listened to what Feral had to say. When silence had fallen, she carefully ventured, "perhaps you should try to leave then, if you hate it here so much." Her face was healed but she wisely didn't bait him again.
"An excellent idea, got any thought on how I'd accomplish it?" Feral asked sarcastically. "Only the King has the power to return me and he's made it very clear he'll never do that. I've already learned he's one of the two most powerful leaders here and that King Warkil is most likely a bit insane and too vicious to trust so have you any other bright ideas?"
She shook her head rapidly, terror gripping her heart as she quickly lowered her eyes, refusing to answer. If she voiced any ideas they would get back to the King and her punishment would be severe. She was learning quickly that this creature was very smart, dangerous and a threat to her way of life in the harem. Though afraid of him, revenge still burned within her. She would find some way to make him pay for her humiliation and for taking all their places with the King. She had some planning to do.
Having cowed the harem as much as he was able, though he was afraid that weasel could still cause him grief if he didn't stay on guard, Feral turned to the rabbit female again and gave her a demanding frown. Blushing, she hurriedly gestured for him to follow her into their living quarters.
The hallway the weasel had entered from had many rooms along it, none of them had doors. To achieve some kind of privacy, colorful hangings of cloth were hung. Stopping at one that had a bright fuchsia sheet over it, she raised it for him to enter then followed.
Inside, the room contained only a bed sitting on a wooden pallet with a heavy coverlet and a handful of pillows on it, a massive armoire sat against one wall, a small mirrored table with small stool was across from it. There was no closet and no bathroom which meant they owned very little and shared a communal bathing area.
She gestured hesitantly to the stool as she seated herself gracefully on the bed. He sat again but this seat was harder than the one in the main harem area so his abused parts hurt causing him to hiss softly in discomfort. The King had not healed him from their earlier coupling so he was still sore.
The rabbit stared at him in nervous surprise. "You are in pain? Has no one offered to heal you?" She asked in concern then a look of fear slipped across her face. "Are you being punished?" Her voice hushed and worried.
"No, not that I'm aware of and... no... no one has offered. If you haven't noticed, no one cares much for my welfare except for the King and his interest is only in keeping me healthy so he can use me for breeding and his own pleasure."
"Aye, that may be so, but he would be furious if none aided you when you are still hurting unless he inflicted it for punishment. Gutaire knows this and wouldn't have allowed you to suffer long. That is his responsibility as the keeper of the King's quarters. However, since no has done this duty, then I must see to it." With that she raised her small paw and made a light gesture toward Feral's seated form.
He startled when the pain disappeared instantly then sighed in relief, giving her a grateful nod. "Thank you!" He eyed her a moment and asked, "can you show me how to do that?"
"I'm sorry but only Carthmore is allowed to teach newcomers how to use their magic. You should be seeing him tomorrow."
He sighed inwardly, hating the fact he had to wait for this training. It would have been nice to know how to ease the soreness he knew he would be feeling by morning. Well, nothing for it but wait until he saw this Carthmore fellow tomorrow. With no one on his side, he didn't relish the thought of 'suffering' the King's repeated attentions without the ability to heal himself.
Over the next hour, the female, whose name was Glory, explained the workings of the harem and what he would probably be expected to do. She said they hadn't had a consort for more than a thousand years so she was sorry she didn't remember all the things required of one.
"What happened to the last consort?" Feral asked curiously.
"She displeased the King and was traded to King Warkil for some repnorses," she said dismissively. Apparently the last consort wasn't liked by the harem either.
Before Feral could think of anything else to ask, a powerful, commanding voice called for him from down the hall. Immediately knowing it was the King, the two of them hurriedly went back down the hall to the harem communal area.
Just as he stepped into the room, a heavy paw immediately swept him off his feet and dropped him to his knees on the cushioned floor.
Startled and angry, he made an attempt to get up but a heavy body laid down on him and grabbed his scruff with their mouth. Feral choked in fury but need and the bond forced his compliance. The harem surrounded them, all were on their knees, paws in their laps, faces watching, obviously because of an order by the King.
This was worse then when the King took him in private...so many eyes were watching his humiliation as his traitorous body responded without hesitation to the King's possession of him. With no preparation, Bloodnor plunged into his consort's hot channel and set a punishing pace bringing them to a fierce climax...Feral screaming and the lion roaring.
He pulled free of his consort and gathered the tom in his arms and carrying the limp weight to the bathing room, the harem following respectfully. He didn't release Feral as he walked down the stairs into the pool, their clothing vanishing as the water covered them.
The King kept an arm around the Kat's waist as he moved them into deeper water. Halting when the water reached mid-chest, Bloodnor pulled his consort into his embrace and nuzzled the dark furred neck and shoulder. Feral groaned helplessly as the combination of the King's nibbling and the warm water made him heated again.
"Put your legs around me, my warrior," Bloodnor ordered softly putting his huge paws under Feral's buttocks to support the Kat.
Responding instantly, Feral brought his legs up, letting the lion line them up so he could plunge straight into his consort's hot channel. He didn't thrust as usual though, instead he made small movements in and out plus added a swirl of his hips so his pubic hair brushed against Feral's clitoral hood, tickling it.
Feral gasped and squirmed wildly, his eyes huge with lust. Mewing loudly, he desperately wanted the King to stop teasing him, it was getting too intense and driving him crazy. Bloodnor leaned in and bit Feral hard on the neck and plunged deeper, then held his position and slipped a finger into Feral's rear until he touched the prostate gland.
Feral screamed and sparks went off in his head as he came in a nearly continuous wave of orgasmic pleasure. A muffled growl escaped the King as he came at the same time.
Wrung out and sated for the moment, Feral became limp as a rag as the King released his teeth from the Kat's shoulder. He kissed Feral's panting face, crooning, "so good...so responsive...you please me greatly, my consort." Slowly, he pulled out then turned the tom's body until his back was against the King's broad, powerful chest, one arm around the chest the other supporting him around the waist while Feral recovered. He bent his head and nuzzled the dark neck. Raising his head a moment later, he signaled two of his harem, the male wolf and rabbit female, to come to his side. They swam quickly over to him and waited.
"Show my consort how talented you are." They nodded. Both took deep breaths then dove under the water. The King rested his back against the pool wall and kept hold of Feral, supporting the Kat for what was to come.
The wolf went for Feral's cock and the rabbit his clitoris, beginning to lick and nibble at it. Feral's eyes widened and he tried to writhe away but the King chuckled deeply in his chest and held him more tightly. "Enjoy it my consort, they are very skilled."
Feral cried out in pleasure as the wolf, who held the tom's legs still so he couldn't thrash about, sucked strongly on the Kat's sizable cock. The tension in Feral's body rose to a fever pitch, the sensation nearly as torturous as the King's attention earlier. It reached an unbearable level until he came screaming, his body bucking wildly.
The pair rushed to the surface and panted for air, looking to the King for further orders.
"That will be enough, my pets...excellent as always. I think it's time for my consort and I to head to bed," Bloodnor rumbled in good humor as he tenderly held his consort in his powerful arms and carried him out of the pool.
Several of the harem stood by with towels so when the King left the water, they immediately began to dry him. He let Feral's legs down but held the shaky Kat with one arm so he could be dried thoroughly. When the harem was done with their task, Bloodnor swung Feral into his arms once more and carried him to his quarters, there to continue his quest for an heir.