A/N: There's a lot more to Pup than what meets the eye. He's just a little mischief right now but as time passes, he'll be making more and more notable choices and the like. Anyways, I hope y'all enjoy!

Oh, and also: TIME JUMP PEEPS! Chapters featuring almost nothing but consecutive days is a pain and will take a lot longer than what one would think, and I also don't wanna bore the shit outta you people, so yeah.

Chapter Genre: Family, Friendship

Chapter Rating: T

Rating Content: Brief Language

The trees were starting to bloom nicely! Trimming them had done more good than what she had previously thought! And the flowers; they weren't blooming, but they were beginning to sprout. She had to keep Pup from wandering about in the garden or he could easily end up smothering the flowers that she and Pagan had planted. At first, she herself had been worried about smothering the flowers whenever she went to clear out any weeds, but after finding some flat stones by the old shed, she had made some stone paths throughout the gardens. It gave them more of a walk-through, 'come-right-in' sort of feel to them.

Tahki had also discovered that the tree closest to the cliff edge was a blossom tree and, having never been able to experiment with a blossom tree, decided to try and decorate it. She gathered whatever she could throughout the palace (much to Pagan's dismay) and decorated the blossom tree with small flags, chimes, and even a bell or two. It created a beautiful chorus of sounds whenever the wind blew. It was also beautiful during the evenings with the candles being lit. In the evenings, Tahki would often find herself sometimes sitting underneath the tree, reading a book and listening to the quiet sounds of the chimes and bells. Pup would often be sleeping on her lap as she read (which he was now almost getting too big for).

In the past month that she and Jesse had been in the palace, there were almost no incidents with the Golden Path. It was almost as if they had gotten the message to leave them be (or they were just waiting and planning their next move against Pagan). North Kyrat was slowly being taken back by the Royal Army, key word being 'slowly'. It was agitating to Pagan, but he still refused to leave the palace and leave Tahki and Jesse alone.

Jesse and Ronin almost practically lived together, nowadays. According to the occasional gossip of the soldiers that patrolled the palace, Ronin no longer slept in the barracks and she could easily guess where he was sleeping now. Pagan wasn't too happy, but since Ronin's performance was maintained, he did not take action against him or Jesse.

Pagan... he was something else. He was still almost unpredictable, but he was a lot calmer than he normally would be. However, there were still some comments he made towards Tahki that she would sometimes question (as those specific comments could often end up as borderlining sexual cat-calls), but she didn't think too much of it. Whenever he saw something or someone he liked, she knew he would never be afraid to voice it. And it wasn't that he liked her, but more her spirit (as he had once told her about in the gardens). She was also beginning to see a different side to him, a softer and more compassionate side. She didn't know what it was, if it was him not fighting with the Golden Path or just him being able to relax more than usual, but whatever it was, it was doing a lot of good for him.

"What are you smirking about?"

Tahki looked up from her plate, shaken from her thoughts. "Pardon?"

Pagan gestured with his fork. "You're smirking like an idiot again; what for this time?"

Tahki simply shrugged and resumed in eating her meal. "Nothing."

"Sure."

Pup suddenly hopped onto the chair beside Pagan and sat down, staring intently at the King. He didn't waver. "You're not having my food." He stated simply.

The wolf cubs' ears fell and he whimpered, looking as if he had been scolded. She snorted and shook her head. That look would never work on her, but it always worked on Pagan. Always.

He rolled his eyes and took a bite of his chicken, attempting to ignore the young wolf. Pup whined and gently pawed at Pagan's knee, much like how a cautious puppy would paw at a cat and once he looked over, Pup pulled his 'begging' face. Ears down, head down, looking up with his ice-blue eyes and whimpering ever-so-slightly.

Pagan hesitated slightly before sighing heavily. Taking a chicken leg from his plate, he placed it on the table in front of Pup, who gobbled it down gratefully.

"You'd think that Pup was starving, with the way he eats." Tahki commented.

"And yet you feed him like he's royalty."

"He is in a palace."

Because pets weren't too popular in Kyrat, there wasn't much dog or cat food to go around. The land was filled with poverty anyhow, so who would even be able to afford it in the first place? So, Tahki would feed the young wolf meat from the kitchens. There was also the extremely rare occasion that Pagan let her go out and hunt (but not without an armed escort, mainly two big guys with machine guns), so she could get fresh meat for Pup. She also got to keep the skins (sambar skins, mainly, but she managed to nab a leopard at one point).

Pagan eyed the cub up and down for a brief moment. "He's getting a bit big, isn't he?"

Tahki shrugged. "Puppies do that, Pagan. They get bigger."

He rolled his eyes. "I am well aware, but what I mean is that Pup isn't going to be a pup anymore. He'll soon be a wolf, fully grown."

Both the young wolf and his owner suddenly sat up straight and stared intently at him. She narrowed her eyes. "What are you getting at?" She asked.

"What I am getting at is that Pup is a wolf cub that will become a wolf." He replied. "Fully capable of chewing your leg off while you sleep-"

Pup suddenly jumped onto the table and snarled viciously at the King, hackles raised and ears flat against his head. Pagan, startled, pushed away from the table and pulled out his handgun, pointing it at the young wolf who only snarled louder at him.

"Pup, sit!" Tahki hissed.

The wolf immediately complied, ceasing in his snarling and sitting down on top of the table. Looking back over his shoulder at her, he panted happily.

She tossed him a piece of chicken and she rested her elbow on the table. "As far as anyone is concerned, Pup is already capable of chewing someone's leg off while they sleep. In case you forgot he took on a fully armed, could-have-been kidnapper and killer."

"If he were a wolf-breed dog, then I wouldn't be so concerned. But he is a pure-blood wolf. He is more in touch with his ancestry than any other type of dog."

Tahki considered the wolf cub for a moment. He was getting pretty big, but Pup was almost completely domesticated when she had first met the creature in the gardens, even though he should've been feral and wild. What were the chances that Pup would turn savage once he got older?

She shook her head. "We'll cross that bridge once we get to it. For now, Pup is still young and he listens to me quite well for his age."

Pagan suppressed a sigh and gestured his gun to Pup. "If he even so much as nips me, he's go-"

Pup suddenly started licking Pagan's face, making Tahki snicker as the King sputtered and pushed the wolf away. "Enough of that!" He hissed, wiping at his face with a napkin. "When was the last time you gave him a bath? He wreaks."

She raised an eyebrow and gestured for Pup to get off the table. "Well, you can help me give him a bath after we're finished lunch."

"No."

"Why?"

"He's not my dog."

"He's in your home, you help take care of him."

"I'm busy."

"With what?"

Pagan immediately hesitated, making Tahki smirk. "You can and will help with Pup. Besides, he tends to struggle when getting a bath and with him being bigger, I'll need some help."

"Because of your arm?"

She suddenly stiffened but relaxed herself just as quickly. "Yeah."

Tahki normally would slap the person who brought up the fact about her non-arm being a hindrance, but Pagan was really the only one who got away with it lately. He never meant any malice whenever he mentioned it, either. A part of her believed he was just trying to get her 'out of her comfort zone' (as Jesse had described it once), but she wasn't entirely sure.

Pagan sighed. "Very well. May as well get it done and over with." He placed his handgun back in its holster, stood from his chair and suddenly shouted, "Gary! Start drawing a bath!"

Tahki tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "First you would shout for Ronin, and now you're shouting for a 'Gary'? Where even is he?"

He snapped his fingers at Pup, who trotted over to him with a small howl. "He was away for a while and now he's back. An assistant of mine with one hell of a sense of hearing."

Seeing that both Pagan and Pup were leaving the dining area, Tahki quickly finished her chicken and followed them out. Pup would jump around and weave in between their legs, occasionally jumping up onto them.

She never failed to notice how Pup acted whenever she and Pagan were around each other. He wasn't exactly skittish, but he acted overly excited compared to when she was alone or with Jesse. What was he trying to tell her?

As they approached Pagans' room, she could smell the faint scent of honey and strawberries. Interesting scent choice, but she wasn't about to complain.

Pup suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and Tahki groaned. How did pets always know when they were going to get a bath or go to the vets? She grasped at the fur on his neck, but he wouldn't budge. "Pup, you need a collar!" She hissed, now wrapping her arm around his body.

Pup instantly began to struggle in her grip, turning and kicking and pushing away with his front paws. Tightening her grip, Tahki carried the young wolf through the door (which Pagan was holding open for her) and attempted to carry him to where she assumed the bathroom was.

Pagans' room was almost no different than her room, albeit more spacious and with a different colour scheme. There was also a sofa on one end of the room and a desk on the other. A large door lead out to the balcony, which had a beautiful view of the mountains and trees. There was a walk-in closet (she knew it was a closet only because the door was slightly ajar and she could see Pagans' stupid pink shirt in it) as well as a wardrobe (which she didn't understand why he even had one if he already had a closet). It was a room fit for a King.

Pup continued to struggle, now with more vigor, and she tried readjusting her grip. "You've never fought this much," she growled, "so why start now?!"

With one mighty push, Pup finally freed himself and dropped to the floor, immediately putting a distance between himself and his owner. Pagan attempted to grab the wolf, but only succeeded in tripping over the rug. "Does he always do this...?" He groaned.

Tahki sighed and looked to Pup, who stood on top of the sofa. "No and I don't understand why he's suddenly acting this way."

She slowly approached the wolf cub, who now stood rigid on the sofa. He was ready to run, she knew, but she felt as if she'd be able to catch him.

Just when she was about to grab him, Pup used the sofa to his advantage and pounced over her. When she turned she saw that he had also run under Pagans' legs. He then jumped onto the bed, turning around and howling at the two of them. Was he mocking them?!

Pagan immediately fell for the bait and chased after the wolf, practically hopping onto the bed and swiping both his arms in an attempt to catch him. Pup jumped out of the way and darted under the bed, coming out through the other end. "Dammit, mutt!" Pagan cursed.

Pup continued to run around the room, particularly avoiding the bathroom, and both Pagan and Tahki tried catching him. Even when working together, it was still extremely difficult to catch the young cub.

Pup of course began to tire and just as he jumped off the bed, Pagan caught the wolf in midair, wrapping his arms tightly around him. "Got you, you little shit!"

Tahki wiped at her brow, which dripped with sweat, and sighed. "That was harder than what it needed to be..."

Pup didn't struggle as the King of Kyrat carried him to the bathroom, where he unceremoniously placed him in the tub. Pup shook himself slightly, small patches of bubbles floating off from his black fur. With a determined nod, he turned his attention to Tahki. "How exactly does two people bathe a dog?"

"Simple." Tahki removed her sweater so she was just in her black t-shirt. "You focus on his neck, front paws and chest while I focus on his belly, tail and back legs. You may also want to roll up your sleeves a bit more."

Pulling up her pant legs, Tahki stood in the warm water and sat on the edge of the tub, grabbing the shampoo that was at the corner of the tub and squeezing some onto Pup, who just stood still in the water. She then handed the shampoo to Pagan, who poured some into his hand and started to rub the shampoo along Pup's neck.

"You're going to kill your back leaning down like that." She commented. "Sit on the edge of the tub."

Pagan reluctantly complied, rolling up his own pant legs and sitting next to Tahki. "For a creature that fought to the bitter end, he seems to be enjoying this."

Tahki scooped some water onto Pup to rinse the suds. "Yes, he loves baths. I don't get why he fought so hard to keep from getting one this time."

Pup barked and shook vigorously, causing water to spill over the edge of the tub as well as spraying them both with soapy water. Tahki couldn't help but laugh at the wolf cub. "We're not done yet!" She told him.

Pagan stared at her for a few moments, making her look to him almost in annoyance. "What?"

He tilted his head. "You know, I don't believe I've ever heard you actually laugh since you've been here at the palace."

She quirked an eyebrow. "I could say the same for you."

He simply shrugged. "What is there to laugh about?"

"If you had things such as family, you'd know." She stopped with bathing Pup to turn her full attention to the King. "Which makes me think; I'm surprised you don't have an heir already. What are you, fifty-"

"Forty-eight." He quickly corrected her.

She shrugged. "Not much difference. But still, you're almost fifty and you don't have an heir. What's with that?"

"Do you see any other women around here, Gagné?" He snapped. "As you've said yourself, I'm not well-liked here in Kyrat."

"So you're telling me you've never had any family whatsoever?"

"Once. But just the once."

Tahki tilted her head. "Well, what happened to them?" She asked.

Pagan clearly hesitated, making her almost instantly regret the question. But still, she didn't retract it, as it was an honest and non-malicious question, one which deserved an answer.

"They're... gone. Dead." Was his curt response. "The last family I have doesn't even truly remember me. He's gone as well."

Her eyes widened slightly and a quiet gasp slipped past her lips. "Oh..."

Well, there was one other thing they had in common, she thought. They both had their families, and lost them. Tahki still had one, technically, but Pagan didn't. "Well why don't you leave Kyrat, then? Go to America or something?"

He rolled his eyes and managed to suppress the sigh that threatened to slip out. "That was the original plan. See, I know I'm not getting any younger and the people want me gone more than ever. You heard of the man who came about, causing all the chaos here in Kyrat? He was to be the next King. He refused, and now I'm here to clean up his mess and start over."

"You don't exactly need to leave a King behind either. The Golden Path has their own thing going-"

"Which will simply fall apart at the rate Sabal is going at. Their economy is low, supplies are short and I'm really all that's keeping Kyrat together."

"Barely."

"Hush."

Tahki sighed and continued to rinse off Pup, who sat down happily in the tub. "I get where you're coming from with this, but would Kyrat be any better with a King, thrown into the aftermath of a war, compared to being without a King, going about things naturally until everything is sorted out?"

He suppressed the urge to smack the woman upside the head. "You don't understand royal politics, do you, my dear?"

She stayed silent, and he continued. "The last of the royal bloodline is gone and Kyrat, by tradition, needs their King and a Queen. If the throne is left empty, it will take years for Kyrat to rebuild and to find a new King."

"No, I get that part, but what I don't get is why you care so much about Kyrat? All you've ever done is destroy it-"

"I care about this place because a bit of my heart is here as well!" He snapped, his lips curled in a sneer. "Don't you think that because I am some monster I don;t care about Kyrat!"

Tahki, taken aback by his sudden outburst, slinked back slightly, holding tight to the scruff of Pup's neck. The anger that Pagan felt almost immediately died at the sight of the fear in her eyes, and was replaced with shame and pain. With a sigh, he got up from the tub and made his way out, occasionally slipping along the way. He needed a drink...

Tahki watched as the King left, now more confused than ever. Aside from when he nearly cut her eye out at the table, she had never really seen such an emotional outburst from him. What did he mean by that? 'A bit of my heart is here as well'? As far as she knew, he never grew up in Kyrat, had no familial ties to the country. Why did he have such an emotional attachment to the place?

Pup suddenly shook, spraying water all over Tahki and making her laugh. "Alright, Pup! We're almost done!" She exclaimed.

As she rinsed the wolf cub, she mentally made a note to ask Pagan about what he meant. A bit later, of course, as she guessed he would probably need some time to himself before she started barraging him with questions.