Phew! Finally got it done! Next installment of Smoldering Embers! Enjoy please!

Swear Me Your Life

Much time had passed.

Tails' secret meetings to see Sonic in the evenings went undiscovered, and soldiers all reported that battles were minimal and enemies easy to defeat, and that Sir Sonic was doing rather well for a mere bodyguard (as, supposedly, bodyguards are below actual knights though Sonic was knighted). Life went on as usual, nothing out of place.

That is, until one night.

The stars were silent as they beamed down upon the earth as the young fox silently led Seine to her pen. It had been a brief meeting, as Sonic had been extremely tired from a tougher battle today and needed his sleep. Tails was also mulling over what Sonic had said to him.

They were in the tent together, Tails sitting between Sonic's legs and the strong legs curled around him, tan fingers playing with twin tails and golden fur. But Sonic seemed far off. Even during their hello kiss, he'd seemed out of it. At first, he and Tails had both dismissed it as tire, but soon Tails had different suspicions.

And this was why.

The fingers running through his fur ceased, and Tails, coming out of a daze, looked up to find tears swimming in the emerald orbs he loved so dearly. They lit up the darkness like twin Chaos Emeralds, the shine of his sword casting silver light in their centers. "Tails?" His voice was shaky.

"Sonic?" The golden fox waited impatiently for his lover to answer, eventually turning in his lap, pressing their cocks together to tease cobalt, pulling himself up Sonic's body with his arms, the hands now interlaced round the hedgie's neck. "What's wrong?"

Sonic relented to Tails' actions, but didn't respond to them. Finally, he closed his eyes to let the tears escape and spoke with the voice of a beaten child. "Tails, can I ask you something?"

Tails' sapphire blue eyes sparkled. "Oh, anything, Sonikku!" He squealed.

Sonic's arms finally moved to embrace him, for it seemed he could resist the taunting no longer. As he moved Tails slowly onto his back, he didn't remove the cloak or the belt, or even any of Tails' clothes. Slowly and carefully though, his warm lips and moist tongue touched a spot on Tails' neck and began to suck. Tails moaned in pleasure, tipping Sonic's neck just right so that his mouth could close around it.

Presently, Sonic pulled away a bit, though he dropped his warm, trembling body over the fox's. "Tails, I need to hear you say…I mean, I do believe it, but…I need…"

Tails smiled a knowing, childish, loving smile. "Just ask it, Sonic. What is it you need me to give you that you don't already have."

"This is going to sound stupid," Sonic warned playfully, his eyes flashing childishness but quickly returning to seriousness. "But, I need this."

"You're already as stupid as you could possibly get. And I like that." Tails pulled his lips to Sonic's neck, kissing him there before offering a teasing lick. "Ask away so we can do it."

Sonic released a heavy sigh. Tails recognized immediately the words in that sigh: that his blue lover had too much on his mind, that they would no make love tonight. And, he accepted that. Sonic only put half of his passion into everything he did if something was bugging him, and something was definitely eating him from the inside out. "Sonikku, what is it?" He begged softly.

"I need you…to swear…to swear your eternal love for me and promise never to leave." It came in a rush as Sonic's head dove into Tails' shoulder, beneath the royal red cloak. The golden fox felt Sonic sobbing against him, though he made very little noise about it.

Gold was lost. He felt as if he'd stumbled blindly into darkness with no hope of ever gaining life. Not because of this momentous pact Sonic wanted him to make, but because sonic was crying about it…as if he thought the prince might refuse. Tails ruffled the quills that grew on the older one's head. "Sonic, I am your dear friend, whom you treated like a brother. And I am your lover. Why do you think I would not swear what you've asked?!" He chuckled. "Insanity!"

"Inferna…" Sonic sniffled, raising his head. Tears fell down his face. "I'm bi, I can see her beauty!" More sobs contorted his face and he hid it in his arms. "And, I know that she told you she'd be your queen!"

"Sonic." Tails soothed, cooing to his lover. "No one has the privilege of marrying me except you. And, I know you have commitment issues, but I'll wait as long as I must for you." Tears were coming to his own eyes, but they were tears of joy, as he spoke these earth-shattering words. "I love you, and only you. I swear to it, and I also swear that I will never leave you for anyone, male or female."

Sonic's eyes met his again, as the older one wiped away his tears with the back of his hand. "Y-you mean it?" He stammered weakly.

Tails smiled. "I really, truly do. Now, get some rest, my love. I sense long days ahead."

Only now did Tails have the time to ponder Sonic's odd request. And Inferna? What did she have to do with it, anyway?! He hated Inferna; she would the last person he'd hook up with! And still; he'd rather mate with a tree root than her! He snorted as he put Seine away, leaving the horse to wonder in her less-intelligent mind why her master was upset.

Tails ordered one of the servants milling around to run a hot bath for him. The servant hastily went off to do that, and Tails preceded her to the bath room.

The main bath was a white marble room with a huge circular tub carved like a seashell into a block of porcelain. It was dyed pale pink and lavender inside, so it looked a bit like an actual shell. Tails watched the servant fill the bath in the reverse direction through the mirror on the white marble wall embedded with seashells painted white. The wall of the tub where one would face towards while bathing was made of an automated fish tank, with a great variety of tropical and odd-looking beautiful fish. Besides the water in the bath sloshing about (or running, in this case), the only sound was the faint bubbling of the fish as they swam about in their careless existence.

"The bath is ready, sir." The young cat servant bowed low and retreated before being dismissed. Tails let it go and calmly lowered himself into the bath (for he was already undressed). He could feel the warm water melting away the icy tension in his bones, relaxing him. The water reminded him of arms hugging him close (the only arms he recalled pulling him into a hug and holding his secure therein were Sonic's, though he'd once had parents), and he relaxed, thinking of his blue lover.

Which brought back thoughts of their discussion, which brought back nasty thoughts about Inferna he shouldn't of been thinking about the royal wizard.

"My father," Tails grumbled under his breath. "Why did he will me away to that bitch Inferna?! It makes no sense!" Harshly, he splashed the water at the fish tank, making those few fish near enough to the glass retreat to farther corners. Tails listened to the water sloshing as he huffed from anger, the water dripping down the sides of the tub and walls, soaking into the carpet beneath him. He sighed, relenting to the warm water of the bath and resolving not to think about Inferna until the morning.

Oh, young minds! How pure they believe they are! They think not of bad people, and what those greedy, evil people will do to achieve their goal! And, Tails was a young mind indeed.

But, that is a tale for another chapter. And I must part.

Farewell.