Chapter 10 Casa de Wilde

Nick ran as fast as he could towards his manor, sprinting through shortcuts only he knew and crafted throughout years of serving the city as The Fox. He knew that the road would take twice as long as his own path, so after running for several minutes, he slowed, allowing himself some time to catch his breath.

It was then he heard the voices from below.

Nick cautiously edged towards the steep hill that led towards the roadway below. The path was the main one out of the city and to the south toward Pawterrey. Hiding behind a tree, he scowled at who was currently coming up the path, nearly running over a family beavers who flung themselves against the hill to escape the wagons rumbling down the road.

"His cruelty knows no bounds it seems," Nick stated, gripping the tree with his paw all the tighter. He knew from where he stood there was nothing at the moment he could do about it though, even though his sense of justice was burning as hot as the afternoon sun. Kicking at a rock, he watched it bounce along the edge of the hill, finally plinking against a rather large boulder that was sitting precariously over the roadway.

Whispering a quick prayer of thanks to Maid Marian, Nick traipsed over to the boulder. "My, my...you are looking a bit unhappy today my friend." Nick went up and patted the rock which was as big as himself, smiling as he saw a bit of dirt underneath it give way. "What was that? You see the Comandante coming and wish to offer salutations to him?"

The fox eyed the approaching pedal powered vehicles with a grin. "As you wish mi amigo."

As the wagon was only twenty five meters away, Nick gave the boulder a nudge, watching as the ground beneath it gave way. Jumping back away from the forming rockslide, he grinned as the boulder shook the ground near him, causing several other smaller rockslides to begin.

"Looks like the whole hillside wished to offer greetings to such a magnanimous mammal." Nick whistled loudly from behind cover, not wanting to cause any deaths or serious injuries from this stunt, watching and waiting to see what would happen.

Bogo let his eyes close as he swayed to the gentle rocking of the cart over the worn road. His trip to Zootopia had been a success in his mind. Even if the rabbit hadn't lost her job, what he had set up would give him the satisfaction of watching and hearing of her slowly breaking from Magistrate Bellwether. It would be invigorating to see the rabbit crushed and broken, moving her fuzzy tail back home to where all small, worthless mammals belonged.

A loud whistle, as well as shouts from his men and a roaring sound to his left brought him out of his thoughts.

"Rock slide!"

Bogo's eyes darted to the hillside and widened as he saw a massive amount of rocks sliding down towards him. It didn't take more than a second for him to leap from the cart, rolling to a stop a few meters on the other side of the flat ground next to the road. A splintering, crackling sound brought his attention to what had formally been his carriage, but was now a hulking mass of cracked wood and broken wheels.

Nick grinned as he saw the soldiers scattering to the other side of the road, safe and out of harms way. His grin widened even further as he watched every cart in the procession become splinters in a matter of seconds.

"Let's see how that massive, angst filled rage beast enjoys learning how to walk like a regular mammal for a change," Nick stated as he slapped his paws together for a job well done. Jogging away from the scene, in case the soldiers went to investigate the cause of the slide or the mysterious whistle that had saved them from thousands of pounds of rocks, Nick hummed to himself while idly patting the pocket which held the stolen ledger.

Today has been a good day.

Judy was jogging down the road. It was already late afternoon, and with the slowly setting sun, Judy wished to make it to Don Wilde's villa and back before night fell. Angry shouts and rumbling sounds came from a bend just beyond her view. Almost sounding like a battle taking place, Judy went into a sprint, dashing around the bend and past a smiling beaver family, only to grow wide eyed and skid to a stop as the scene before her.

The broken remains of several familiar wagons lay under a massive amount of rocks, while soldiers groaned and walked past them, staring in hatred at the rocks covering the roadway and others shaking their fists at the hill that brought them down upon them. Almost moving to help them, Judy saw the massive form of Bogo rising up, dust covering the buffalo in a thin veil of grey and brown.

Instead, her paws brought her backwards, step by step until she rounded around the bend, deciding on taking another route to Wildes' villa.

The sun was an hour away from setting, casting orange and red hues across the land when Judy arrived at the impressive casa de Wilde. The large, solid walls that surrounded the entire home, as well as the massive iron gate reminded the Capitan of just how rich and powerful the Wilde family was, and just how small and insignificant she was compared to them.

Walking up the well maintained path to the villa, Judy saw several workers throughout the front yard, a few of whom cast irritated glances at her when they noticed her.

Zootopians really must not like soldiers...Judy thought. Her thoughts went to the hat in her paws, and she nervously adjusted it in her grip as she reached the rather large door, the entrance to Casa de Wilde.

Before she could even knock, the massive door swung open, revealing an oryx in a butler uniform standing before her.

"Hello," Judy stated sharply, trying to hide the strange feeling of nervousness in her gut. Why she was feeling it, she had no idea. "Is Don Nicholas Wilde at home?"

"Of course," the butler replied, his voice removed of any hint of emotion as he stepped aside to let the Capitan in. "I will inform him of your arrival. Please wait in the parlor."

He motioned towards a room to his right, on Judy's left, then left, walking swiftly yet elegantly up a marble staircase to the second floor. As Judy moved towards the parlor, removing her own cap, she marveled at how ornate the home was. The entryway could easily fit all the soldiers under her command inside it with room to spare, while the staircase, wove to a large balcony which looked down upon the main room from three sides. She unconsciously let her paw roam over a large end table, surprised when she realized the trim was solid gold.

"That table is worth more than my home in Bunnyburrow," Judy whispered, stepping back from what was to her a near priceless piece of furniture. Halting steps in the parlor only made her jaw drop further, as she examine the exquisite paintings of foxes along the wall, as well as the extravagant Purrsian rugs lining the floor.

"Do you like, Capitana Hopps?"

Judy nearly jumped out of her uniform at the silky smooth voice behind her, dropping both hats she held in paw to the floor. She reached for them, only to find another, red furred paw, laying a top her own.

Turning her head, the first thing she saw was the toothy grin, followed by the sparkling emerald eyes. "Allow me."

Don Wilde's paw brushed across her own before retrieving both bolero's from the floor. Her nervousness increased fourfold at the touch, and again, she had no understanding as to why the fox had this affect on her. At the military academy, she hadn't had any nervousness, even around the bull elephants who threatened to crush her underfoot if she couldn't keep up with the rest of the officers in training.

"Ah, so this is where it went."

Judy was brought out of her daze as the fox chuckled, examining his hat in his paw while passing her own back to the rabbit. "I was wondering where my hat had gone off to after it had blown away outside the fort."

Judy cleared her throat, which felt unusually thick. "I found it atop my table in my dwelling. One of the soldiers must have placed it there for me to find and bring back to you."

"How kind of them to allow me to meet with you again so soon," Nick mused, grinning when he saw the twitch in Capitan Hopps' nose. Maybe I should have prepared the dinner for tonight if iknew where my hat had gone off to."

"That is not necessary," Judy replied quickly, holding both paws out in front of her. "I mean, thank you for the offer, but I must be heading back to my soldiers."

"Loyal to a fault it would seem," Don Wilde stated with a smile. "I trust you are getting along with them well, no?"

The fall of the rabbit's ears was all he needed to know. So she is different from the rest...he mused.

"As best as I can," Judy finally replied, shuffling her feet. "Still learning their names and everything."

"Of course, of course," Nick replied, noting the potential rift in the barracks he could exploit to do more digging for clues later. "That is to be expected of such an upright officer as yourself."

A grin, which turned into a sheepish smile. "Again, thank you for your compliment, but I fear I am nowhere near the status of excellence I need to be in order to serve this city."

"Come now," Nick replied in a chiding tone. "I saw how kind you were to Weidii today, and anyone who would endure her fire and brimstone and a first meeting like that, has the patience of a sloth and the wisdom of a yak."

"Shouldn't it be an elephant?" Judy asked, the question coming out before her paws could clasp over her muzzle.

Don Wilde's eyes positiviely sparkled in delight. "Apparently you have not met many yaks then."

"I guess not Don Wilde."

"Please señorita, I prefer Nicholas. Or Nick to my close friends, of which I can see you becoming such a one."

Laying it on there a bit thick, Nick? he mentally chided himself as he watched the rabbit's happy reaction to his statement. You're just charming her to whittle secrets out of her. Nothing more. She's a pawn in Bogo's plans...right?

Again, doubts of what was happening around him began pulling at the edges of the fabric of his mind, testing for weaknesses of logic. He'd heard the argument between Comandante Bogo and Capitan Hopps, and had even snuck a peek after hearing her cry of pain, and saw her pinned under the buffalo's hoof against the wall.

Could she be like Skye, perhaps?

A thought accompanied that as the Capitan fumbled with her hat under the prolonged silence.

"I should probably get going back to my mammals," the Capitan offered. She started off towards the door.

"Wait!"

Judy halted, then turned to see the Don's outstretched arm, with him stepping towards her, albeit it with a nervous glimmer in his eyes.

"Er, Capitana Hopps, you said you came from Bunnyburrow, correct?"

Hopps nodded.

"And you wouldn't have happened to come from a farming background?"

Again, another nod. "That is correct."

Nick flashed a brilliant smile. "Well then Capitana, before you go, would you like to tour my orchards?"

If a word could be given to describe insurmountable joy filling a mammal, any mammal who had seen Capitan Hopps' face in that moment would have titled the word simply as, Judy Hopps.

"I would love that!" Judy exclaimed, eyes lighting up at the suggestion. Nick could almost feel the energy coming from her, even as she tried to temper her emotions after her initial outburst.

Chuckling, he lowered his paw, pads up to her. She took it in her own, seeing how the Don wished to escort her to the orchard himself.

Quite the gentlemammal...Judy thought. I wish the bucks back home would take lessons from him.

She saw the fox grin, then lower his muzzle to her paw and gently laid a kiss upon it. His eyes met her, and for a moment, it felt like her heart had stopped in its beating. His following words, barely above a whisper as he kept his eyes focused on her own, sent a shiver done her spine.

"Then let me give you the grand tour while the sun is setting and the glow from the sun and moon alight your fur in the most majestic of hues, that is only proper for a lady of your beauty."

Judy lost the use of her words, and barely felt herself moving forward as the Don escorted her, arm in arm out of the foyer and into the yard, her mind feeling as if it had melted into a puddle under the Don's sultry and deliciously sweet words. Never had anyone given her such a compliment, and even thought she tried to keep her rigid stoicism in place as a proper Capitan should...she felt her heart beating quite faster than normal and heat rising from her ears. Before she knew it, she found herself pulling herself tighter next to him as they walked, smiling as the fox grinned back at her, flashing her what appeared like a heartfelt smile.

Yes, the bucks back home really needed to take lessons from Nicholas...

AN: Caaaaaaaaan you feeeeeel the loooooooove toniiiiiiight!

Also, the amazingly talented KungFuFreak07 has made a beautiful rendition of this ending scene over on Deviantart, so go check that out! I'd post the link but...this site doesn't like them so just look for her name over on deviantart. :D