And that was how the next few weeks went. Leonard normally spent the day with them, except on the rare occasion that he had to take care of business. When that occurred, Ross was always on hand to make sure the triplets didn't run off too far. Red assumed the little pig was also instructed to keep an eye on him to make sure he didn't get it into his head to try to escape back to Bird Island.

The evenings were rarely quiet before the hatchlings were finally put to bed, and Leonard seemed just as eager to spend a little private time with Red – no matter which room they ended up in. The pig king never spent the full night in Red's room, and Red made sure to not overstay his welcome when they shared pleasure in Leonard's chambers. The evenings were, for the most part, simply a fun way to pass the time while still technically being prisoners on Pig Island. At least the hatchlings were none the wiser. They actually seemed to believe Leonard and Red were their parents.


"We wanna play dress-up, too!" the hatchlings chirped loudly, excited at the sight of everyone wearing strange and colorful hats.

"Of course you do. It's 'Funny Hat Day,' after all," Leonard exclaimed cheerfully.

Red rolled his eyes, but there was a genuinely amused smile on his face, as well. Sure enough, the pig king was quick to usher them back up to the bedroom suites. Next to the king's chambers was a door that Red had noticed in the passing, but had never spent much time wondering about.

"This is my personal walk-in wardrobe!" Leonard exclaimed, opening the door with a gusto. The hatchlings bounced on their tiny taloned feet as they raced past him into the room. Red followed at a more leisurely pace, with Ross eagerly shadowing him.

It was a lot like the strange clothing room on the pig ship, the avian noted to himself. A wall-to-wall closet lined one side of the room, stuffed to the brim with fancy clothing, while hats of all shapes and sizes hung from the wall directly opposite. There were even lower shelves under the hats that were devoted entirely to what the pigs called boots. Red didn't really understand why they needed them.

As Leonard began to swipe hats off the wall in an attempt to find ones that would be a perfect fit for the hatchlings, Red caught sight of an elaborately-decorated mirror, perched on a fancy table, directly across from the doorway, and decided to take a closer look. The mirror's wooden frame was hand-carved with flowers and eggs, the avian was curious to note. There were even a few carvings of feathers… which was very mysterious. There were clearly no birds living on Pig Island, and yet Leonard had spoken of stories he had been told – stories of birds and their eggs. Was it possible that the pigs had visited Bird Island long ago?

A silver key lying on the table caught his eye. Picking it up, he marveled at the coolness of the metal.

"That key was crafted for a special kind of treasure."

Red stumbled back, but only managed to bump into Leonard, who was now standing directly behind him. The pig only chuckled in response, before leading him to the end of the closet. Inside, there was a tall cabinet hiding in plain sight. It hadn't been visible from the doorway, but now it stood out due to its matching silver lock.

"Go ahead. Open it," Leonard insisted, taking Red's wing. Together, they pressed the key into the lock and turned it slowly. There was a tiny click. The cabinet door swung open. On the shelves were strange, sparkling hats… at least, Red assumed they were designed to be put on your head. Or perhaps worn around your neck. It was hard to tell.

"These are crowns," the king commented, plucking the tallest one off the shelf. It was solid gold with a red jewel in the center. He set it on his head with a smile.

"I remember you wearing that one when we arrived on Piggy Island. What, exactly, are crowns for?" Red asked, shaking his head in amusement.

"They are designed to show the world that you are of royal blood," Leonard boasted, turning away to inspect himself in the mirror. "It is a sign of power and wealth."

"Oooh, mommy, put this on. It's soft!"

Red accepted the soft white robe from the triplets, admiring the delicate pink flowers that shimmered on the fabric. He put on the robe, admiring the gentle cloth against his feathers. Adjusting the garment, he tied the accompanying sash around his waist to hold everything together. Yes, this was certainly the kind of clothing he could get used to.


Leonard glanced away from his reflection, only to find his eyes drawn instinctively to his avian lover. The sight of the pure ivory robe, embroidered with delicate cherry blossoms, sent Leonard's thoughts back to the day he purchased it. Recently crowned the king of Piggy Island, following the retirement of his aging father, Leonard had celebrated by taking a trip to Fox Island. Their hot springs were the finest in the known world, and after several long days of excessive rest and relaxation, the young king was ready to rejoin his people.

During their final stop before boarding the ship, Leonard happened upon a traveling merchant. As he was perusing, and setting aside items to purchase, he happened upon the most delicate robe he'd ever laid eyes on.

"How much?" he'd inquired, only to stumble back as the canidae named a very steep price for the robe. The merchant was quick to explain that the expense came from the mulberry silk used to weave the article of clothing. Such a splendid creation was truly a gift worthy of a princess… or a future queen.

And so, despite Ross' attempts to talk him out of it, Leonard found himself eagerly purchasing the extravagantly-priced garment. Of course, he'd never expected to see it fitting so elegantly on his avian lover. The king found his eyes trailing over the bird's petite form as Red stepped up to the mirror to gaze at himself.

Staring at his lover's reflection, Leonard could see the bird's soft chest plumage beneath the folds of the robe, and the tips of his wings peeking delicately out from the sleeves. He looked…

"Wear this, mommy!"

The triplets hopped on each other's heads until they formed a tall bridge into the air. The hatchling at the top was holding a familiar, sparkling crown. Red glanced up as the crown was set atop his head, but simply eyed his new look in the mirror.

Leonard, on the other hand, was struck dumb at the sight. It was only Ross' stutter of "Maybe you shouldn't be wearing the former queen's crown," that spurred the king into action.

"It's fine," Leonard insisted, stepping forward until he could see himself in the mirror behind the petite crimson bird. "You look lovely."

Red stiffened, clearly uncomfortable with the praise. Leonard could tell that he was blushing under his feathers, a mannerism that made him even more adorable. Who would have ever guessed that a mouthy bird like Red would look so soft and regal in that silken robe and his mother's crown. Like a visiting royal, rather than a not-quite-prisoner-turned-house guest. And who could have predicted that Leonard would eventually come to feel smitten with the little bird.

"Ah, yes, well… did you kids find hats to wear?" Red asked, stepping away from the mirror. Leonard watched his lover putter around the room, still dressed as beautifully as a princess as he ordered Ross around.

With his servant taking over his job of finding hats for the children, Leonard found his mind beginning to wander into an elaborate fantasy of having a silken-clad Red in his bed. His petite lover posing in that delicate robe, the cloth pooling off his shoulder seductively. Graceful wings slipping the fabric open, revealing soft pink stomach feathers and delicate legs. The glint in those amber eyes as the bird stroked between his own thighs, displaying himself before the king's heated gaze.

"Like what you see, my king?" Red would whisper, arching his back against the green sheets.

"I always do," Leonard would purr, before joining his lover on the bed. He would make his pretty avian scream with pleasure over and over again. Red would eagerly promise to never leave, to be Leonard's forever, his perfect little… Queen.

Leonard snapped out of his thoughts quickly, his mind racing. "I was not fantasizing!" he yelped, his heart beating frantically. Everyone turned to look at him, startled by his outburst. Leonard's gaze darted around, landing on Red's raised eyebrow.

"I mean… we should get going. Everyone is going to wonder where we are. It is 'Funny Hat Day,' after all," the king insisted, quickly throwing his crown back into the cabinet. Stepping over to his avian lover, he hesitantly removed the delicate crown from the bird's soft crimson head, and locked it up. He would dwell on those thoughts another time.

"Are you alright?" Red asked, falling into stride alongside Leonard. He was still wearing the robe, even though it pooled on the floor around his feet. Leonard would have to get it hemmed up to properly fit him.

"I'm fine. Just… lost in thought. Here," the king plucked a white cowboy hat off the wall and rested it on his lover's head. It fit perfectly. Reaching out again, he snagged his favorite black cowboy hat, the one with the flashy golden crown painted on the front.

"Let's go join the celebration!"


"I can't believe you enjoy drinking that," Red stated, staring at the bitter red liquid in Leonard's fancy glass.

"It's an acquired taste. Are you sure you don't want any?" the king asked.

"I'll stick with my apple juice, thanks," the bird grumbled, watching the celebration continuing below Leonard's balcony. They'd slipped away to tuck the kids into bed, and then the pig had insisted on having a nice 'glass of wine' before they rejoined the party.

"You know, we should be getting our shipment of grapes any day now. I think you'll like them," the king insisted, taking a seat on the chair next to him.

"I doubt it. Not if they taste like that," Red stated, throwing his lover a glance. His handsome face was framed in the light of the setting sun, and the avian was surprised to feel a surge of interest beckoning him to do more than just sit next to Leonard. Mighty Eagle, when did he become such a nympho?

A gentle hand was placed atop the wing he had resting on his knee. Leonard's dark eyes were now focused on him as he leaned forward, whispering into his ear, "We could head back to the party… or we could enjoy the rest of the evening in here."

"I… um… I need a moment!" Red couldn't help himself — he bolted back into the bedroom, and closed the sliding door behind him. His heart was beating rapidly beneath the soft silken fabric of the robe he was still wearing. Wait, this was a good thing. He was supposed to be keeping the king's attention on him. Even after all this time, he still kept getting flustered.

"Okay, seduction time. You can do this," the avian told himself. Spinning around, and nearly tripping over the hem of the robe, he scuttled back to the door, and slid it partially open. "I… I need a few minutes to get ready. Then you can come in," he told his porcine lover. Leonard nodded. There was a smile on his lips when he turned back to watch the festivities.

Now what? Leonard seemed to like the robe he was wearing, so maybe Red should just keep it on. And he could arrange himself on the bed, and… slowly take it off? That was a sexy thing, right?

"Okay, I'm just going to do it," Red whispered to himself.


Leonard finished his wine, trying his best to avoid spoiling whatever surprise his little lover had planned. It was nice to see Red getting comfortable enough to take the lead, and he didn't want to ruin the bird's fun. Finally, he set his glass down on the table, and slipped into the room.

"Leonard?"

The king glanced toward the bed and froze, staring at the sight before him. It seemed his earlier fantasizes were coming true. There was Red, leaning back against the pillows of the king-sized bed, his robe gently parted in the front. Crimson feather-tips were already on the sash, attempting to untie it.

"Wait," Leonard said, his voice coming out as an uncertain whisper. Now it was his lover's turn to pause, his golden eyes blinking back at him. "I want to undress you tonight."

For some reason, disrobing his normally-unclothed lover was more sensual than it should have been. He knew every inch of the little bird, but seeing those soft feathers being revealed as the silken cloth was pulled away was even more delicious. The silken robe was soon tossed haphazardly over the side of the bed, forgotten as the pair began their dance of shared pleasure.


Leonard slid out of his lover, marveling at how perfectly soft and tight he seemed to be every single time they made love. It was almost as if the Great Sow herself had created the little avian just for him.

"You are going to wear me out," Red joked, smiling up at him.

Leonard loved these post-coital moments with his partner, even if they were short. Red was relaxed enough to just be himself, without a hint of falseness. And, despite his initial uncertainty, the king knew he was falling in love with the avian. It was a numbing thought, considering the birds were still technically 'prisoners,' even if it was never discussed aloud. Something had to be done.

"I should go," Red commented, attempting to slide out from under him. It was then that Leonard realized he was still crouched over the little bird, boxing him in with his arms.

"Stay the night," Leonard found himself whispering. It was a plea, rather than a demand.

Red's golden eyes widened as they stared at one another. "If you'd like," the avian finally answered.

"I would. It would be nice… to cuddle," the king admitted, feeling his cheeks heat up at the admission. A single crimson wing reached up to stoke the side of his face curiously.

"I've never actually shared a nest with anyone before. I might kick you in my sleep," Red admitted, smiling shyly.

"You can kick me as much as you want," Leonard chuckled, leaning down to nuzzle his lover's cheek. For some strange reason, that particular motion had Red squeaking in embarrassment. Amused, Leonard rolled to the side, taking his lover with him.

Once they had shifted themselves into a more comfortable position, Leonard wrapped one of his arms loosely around the bird's petite waist. Despite being half his size, Red's head seemed to tuck perfectly under his chin, their chests pressed against one another.

"You comfy?" Leonard asked.

"It's manageable," Red grumbled lightly, his breath already softening. The avian was always quick to fall asleep after their lovemaking, Leonard recalled. That was fine. He was just content to hold his lover close as he, too, drifted off to sleep.