"This has been an exciting morning indeed. Now that the position of the new ambassador and next in line for the throne has been settled, might I suggest we retire to my office to sign the lease for this wonderful mansion so that you may convert it to your new embassy as soon as possible?" the Mayor asked, excited and anxious to seal the deal. He was ecstatic that an embassy was being placed in his city. That meant the influx of new income for the admittedly lean coffers of the city treasury.
"Thank you, Mayor Manx. That's an excellent idea. When that's been accomplished, we need to submit our agreement for joining the Coalition for the Protection of the Planet from Alien Attack with Commander Feral." Prince Torr said in pleased agreement.
"Of course. So glad your country agrees that such a Coalition is needed. I'm quite proud of my Chief Enforcer for having come up with such a plan. Shall we go?" Mayor Manx asked, gesturing to the door and limos waiting beyond. He was fairly bouncing with pleased excitement over the day's successes.
With the guards leading the way, the group was swiftly loaded about the cars and soon heading for city hall. Mayor Manx broke out the champagne from his mini fridge in the limo.
"To celebrate Prince Tanlir's new status and Commander Feral's pregnancy." The Mayor said beaming as a guard opened the bottle and Callie poured out then handed each dignitary a glass. Feral passed on it. His stomach wouldn't appreciate it.
Tanlir noted that and placed a protective arm around his mate and nuzzled his neck in comfort. He was thrilled and deliriously happy though he could tell Ulysses was not quite as sanguine about it.
Feral accepted his mate's attempts at comforting him but it didn't ease how truly miffed he was at how fast his status changed from Chief Enforcer to consort of a Prince in the space of a few minutes. Though he was very pleased Asszeria was willing to join the Coalition, he was not happy that he now had to leave so much work undone and leave to meet his new in-laws.
He needed to be here to handle any questions concerning the Coalition and greet other dignitaries who would be arriving to see him and submitting their agreements. He wasn't willing to hand that over to anyone. Admittedly, though, except for Asszeria, he didn't expect any answers from the other countries that had been represented at the conference to get back with him for some months. Still, he really didn't feel comfortable leaving right now.
He brooded the whole way to city hall. Nothing his mate said or did could get him to let go of his annoyance and worry. There were a lot of gawkers when the group arrived at city hall and climbed out of the limos. The press had followed them and were pressing against the enforcer corridor that had been thrown up quickly to protect the royal visitors.
Feral realized, bleakly, that he was now included in that protection though the press wasn't aware of it yet. With just a little luck, hopefully that would be kept secret for a while longer.
Everyone was hustled through the huge lobby and onto a pair of elevators the enforcers were holding for them. Feral, Prince Tanlir, Mayor Manx, Ms. Briggs, two royal assistants and four guards were in one. The other two Princes and the rest of the guards and assistants were in the other.
Spilling out of the elevators at the top floor, Mayor Manx lead the way to his spacious office. Except for the top two assistants, only the Princes and Feral joined them in his office. Callie quickly presented the paperwork that Prince Tanlir, as the new ambassador, would sign. Only a few minutes were needed for that then Feral took their agreement for the Coalition and had them sign the membership listing. He countersigned the agreement and had Ms. Briggs notarize it and make a copy for the Princes to take back to their father.
"Now that the important business has been taken care of, would you like to be taken to your hotel to freshen up? The banquet for your visit is for seven tonight in the ballroom of your accommodations. The social elite of Megakat City will be in attendance. One doesn't get a chance to rub shoulders with royalty here and everyone is very excited to meet you all and welcome our new ambassador." Manx said with unctuous pleasure.
"Just as long as there is no announcement of Tanlir's lifemating to me or my pregnancy, Mayor. I don't think it would be proper to say anything until the King of Asszeria hears it first from his son." Feral said quickly.
"Oh...uh...I suppose you are right, Feral. Very well, no word of it will be spoken of by this office." Manx said in reluctant agreement.
"I will be very lonely not having you at my side, my love. However, in your delicate condition perhaps its best that you rest rather than attend a ball." Tanlir said, unhappy but in total agreement that no word be said about his changed status. His father would be very vexed if he wasn't notified first.
"I see no reason why the Commander could not be presented, Tanlir. We intended to call Father anyway and tell him..." Prince Shane began to object before his younger brother cut him off.
"No! Sorry Shane, but on the drive here I realized we can't just tell Father this over the phone. It's too much of a shocking revelation. If my mate had been female...no problem, but as it is...," Tanlir said spreading his paws, asking for their understanding.
"By the Goddess! You're right little brother. Father and mother will be more than a little shocked. It might go over better if done in person. Alright, I agree with the need to keep this secret for now." Torr sighed, realizing there would be tremendous uproar about this mating.
Shane sighed as well. In his mind's eye he could picture exactly how his parents would react at first. It would not be a pretty picture.
"Thank you both for your discretion." Tanlir said with a slight bow of his head to his brothers then he turned to Mayor Manx. "We accept your gracious offer to have us taken to our hotel. We will see you later this evening." He said politely.
"Excellent! The limos are waiting for you. If there is anything you need or there are problems with your accommodations, please don't hesitate to contact Ms. Briggs to have them solved immediately. Until this evening." Manx said with a smile.
Tanlir and his brothers nodded their thanks and followed Ms. Briggs back out of the office and to the elevators once more. She went down with them and traded small talk. In the lobby, Feral lead the way to the limos as the Princes said their farewells to the Deputy Mayor then loaded into their cars.
Feral was hoping to return to his office to get some work done but Tanlir had other ideas.
"Ulysses, please accompany me. I want to spend some private time with you after our long separation." He said firmly, patting the space beside him.
Feral sighed in resignation and climbed in. Once he was seated next to Tanlir the door was shut and they were soon on their way. Feral wasn't in a mood for talk so Tanlir rubbed his back in soothing circles that, surprisingly, made him relax. Torr and Shane had sat in the seats closer to the driver, giving the couple some privacy.
The drive took about twenty minutes. He had already notified his enforcers to be ready for their arrival and a line of them were waiting as the limos pulled up to the curb. When the door opened, the guards piled out first then Feral and Prince Tanlir and his brothers.
The hotel manager was waiting inside for them.
"Welcome the Megakat Grand Hotel, your highnesses. You have the top floor penthouses to yourselves. If there is anything you need please don't hesitate to use the courtesy phone in your room to ask for it at any time of day. I hope you enjoy your stay with us." He said beaming in pleasure.
"Thank you, I'm sure we will." Prince Torr said politely.
The group trooped to the elevators lead by the manager. On the trip up, he listed the amenities they might like to try during their stay. As they reached the top floor, he opened each room with a key card that he was asked to give each head guard for each prince.
Tanlir sighed in relief as the door to his bedroom closed behind himself and his mate. His luggage had already been unpacked and put away. His guards were in the main area of the suite but the bedroom was theirs alone. He pulled Ulysses into his arms. They hugged one another for long minutes without saying anything.
Tanlir was the first to break the silence.
"You're not happy, love. I know you're a busy Kat and you have a great deal of work waiting for you on your desk that you're anxious to get to but I felt that we needed to talk to each other after our long parting. Let's strip down a bit and relax on the bed. I want your feet up." He said beginning to undo the buttons of Feral's uniform coat.
Feral let him do it as he stared at his mate. He had missed him...a lot but he was still resentful that he was being asked...no ordered was closer...to go back to Asszeria immediately.
He gently pushed his mate's paws off him and began to partly undress. Tanlir eyed him quietly but didn't say anything. Soon they were in just their pants and t-shirts as they lay facing each other on the huge bed.
"So?...Say what's on your mind. I can see you're upset." Tanlir said encouragingly.
Feral sighed and dropped his eyes as he tried to collect his thoughts. When he looked up, Tanlir was still waiting patiently. It warmed him inside at how considerate his mate was which was just one of the things he truly loved about him.
"As you said, I have a great deal of work but then I always do anyway. That isn't what has me annoyed. I am responsible for the Coalition and it doesn't look right if I'm not here to answer the other countries questions if they have any. I need to be here...it's my program I'm advocating." He said flatly.
"But unlike my country, the others will take many months to come to a decision. I understand how you feel you're shirking your duty by not being here but, my love, they can reach you wherever you are. You do have a cell phone you know. So what is the other reason?" Tanlir asked patiently.
"My condition is high risk for a male. OB-GYNs that deal with hermaphrodites are rare and I'm fortunate to have one here. Can you say the same?" Feral asked. This was an important consideration. The pregnancy made him nervous and the fact that he had fainted once had impressed upon him how fragile his health was right now...which really irked him.
Tanlir frowned in concern. Ulysses had raised a very valid concern. "I really don't know, Uly. I'll have to check. That concern I understand. We will have to look into it seriously. But love, I don't really have a choice here. I must present my mate. There are traditions that must be met as well as my investiture as next in line for the throne. You must be by my side for this as well as your investiture as my mate and consort." Tanlir said seriously.
"Certainly is a lot involved." Feral said in dismay. "Why can't I just meet your parents then return here? What you're describing sounds like it could last a month or more."
"Uhm...well about two months actually then our wedding in about a year." Tanlir said with grim humor.
His mate just stared at him in horror. "Two months...I can't be gone two months..." He said angrily. "The wedding in a year is alright but my job can't be put on hold that long."
The cheetah prince sighed. His mate was really upset and he wasn't making it any better. This was why a female would have been better. Most were not in a career that they would have to be ripped from but he had to take a male for a mate and one with a deep commitment to the position he held. This was going to take some delicate handling but first, he needed to calm his mate.
"I am sorry my love. If there was any way I could hurry it up or change the way it's done, believe me I would but its hundreds of years of tradition I must abide by. Please understand. You will be back here as fast as I can get you through it all. I promise." He said earnestly.
Feral rolled to his back and stared at the ceiling. 'This just couldn't get any worse. I can tell Tanlir isn't going to be able to stop what's already happening. I will just have to accept the fact that I'll have to leave my office to a green second in command. Kats Alive! I hate this...But I love him.' He sighed mentally, coming to an unhappy conclusion that he couldn't do anything about the steamroller coming at him. He was a prince's consort and that was that.
Tanlir's face hovered over him suddenly, and his face was deeply concerned. "Uly?"
"It's alright, Tanlir. We made this bed together and now we have to accept all that that entails. I'm not happy but I know you have no choice and neither do I." Ulysses said sighing, then pulled Tanlir down to him and gave him a warm kiss of acceptance.
Tanlir sighed in relief as he returned the kiss.
After spending a couple hours with his mate and reestablishing their bond, Feral left to try and get some work done. He scowled when he realized a group of four royal guards went with him. He couldn't tell them to leave either, even though no one knew his new status, the royals did and he had to be protected since he carried the next heir. Swallowing his irritation, he let them take him to Enforcer Headquarters in one of the limos.
Meanwhile, Tanlir was making a discrete call to his home. To the operator for the palace he asked for the royal physician Dr. Morticade.
"Prince Tanlir, what can I do for you?" The leopard physician asked.
"I need an important question answered and I require your strictest confidence that no one knows I asked this." Tanlir said gravely.
"Of course, your highness. My oath on it." He answered with the same seriousness.
"Very well. Do you have any experience in dealing with pregnant male hermaphrodites and if not, do you know of any such specialists in our kingdom?" He asked.
There was a stunned pause on the other line before the doctor finally answered, "Uh my apologizes your highness, you did say a pregnant male hermaphrodite?" He asked cautiously.
"I did, yes!"
"You do realize how rare that is, your highness?"
"I do indeed. Please answer my question."
"Uh...I'm sorry I do not have such experience and I know of no one in our kingdom that does. I believe this is because there are no known male hermaphrodites in the kingdom." The doctor said quietly, puzzled as to why the prince wanted to know this.
"Thank you. I was afraid that would be the answer but I needed to check." Tanlir said with a sigh of resignation.
"Pardon me, Prince Tanlir, but is there some reason as to why you needed to know this?" Dr. Mordecade asked, fairly dying with curiosity.
"Sorry, I can't answer that over such an unsecured line. You'll have an answer when I return home. Thanks again for the answer. Good bye." Tanlir said cutting off the connection. 'Somehow I just knew it wouldn't be that easy. We're just going to have to find an expert here that would be willing to travel for a little while so that Uly can be monitored.' He thought heavily.
Hours later, after the banquet was over and the Prince was once more back in his room, his mate arrived with a bag from his apartment. Feral knew his mate didn't want him elsewhere when he was in town so he'd gone to his home and packed some necessities. He had managed to clear most of his desk, finally, before leaving for the day.
He was hungry though, and he was feeling a little light headed because of it. Setting his bag on the bed, he looked up to see Tanlir returning from the bathroom wearing only a robe.
"Hello, my love. You look tired. A hot bath would do you good. Have you eaten?" Tanlir asked in concern.
"No, I didn't have time and I am hungry." Feral admitted as he sat down rather suddenly, the light headedness was unsettling and he was afraid he might fall.
"Then we will fix that immediately. You mustn't forget things like that in your condition, Uly!" He admonished his mate as he went out to the main room and used the room phone to quickly order a protein rich but not heavy meal for his mate. Returning to the bedroom, he immediately set to helping Uly to remove all his clothes. He went to the bathroom and retrieved a thick bathrobe to wrap around the dark tom. He made Uly lay back against a pile of pillows and covered him with a light blanket. Grabbing the remote, he lay next to his mate and flicked on the TV. He muted the sound for a moment so that he could speak with Uly.
"I called and spoke with our royal physician. He informed me that he wasn't knowledgeable about Kats like you and that he knew of no one with those qualifications in our kingdom. I sincerely hope, my love, that we can find such a specialist that is able and willing to go back with us and monitor you." He told his mate.
"I did say it might be difficult," Feral murmured quietly. "I see my specialist tomorrow afternoon. So you wish to go with me?"
"Of course. Perhaps he will know of someone who meets our needs." Tanlir said hopefully.
"It's possible. We'll wait to see what he says then." Feral said equitably.
At that moment Feral's meal arrived. A tray was placed before him then the servant left quickly and quietly.
"Dig in, my love." Tanlir said smiling as he took the mute off so that they could listen to the news together.
Feral wasted no time digging in. It was nice not to have to make it himself and being catered to was something he might get used to.