Greetings, respectful readers!

To address the review by Apollo2006: NOTHING is copied in my stories. Everything I write are my own ideas, on rare occasion I put in a reference to something, but I never copy anyone's work.

As per your wishes, here's what happened next.

Chapter 3

"Sir Nicholas!" A voice called out.

The fox raised his brows and turned around. An elderly predator was heading his way with a furious expression. Earl of Fangsmoore approached him, quickly closing the distance and was about to speak when he noticed the bunny behind the noble vulpine. Fury radiated from his eyes as his paw shot for the handle of his sword.

"How may I help you, Lord Wolford?" Nick asked, gracefully taking a small step to the side to place himself between the bunny and the wolf.

"You are fully aware what I want!" He snarled at the fox, his sword slowly leaving the scabbard. But it was stopped, when a red furred finger rested on the wolf's paw, pushing against it.

"I must remind you of your position here, Lord Wolford." Said Nicholas in a cold voice. "Surely, you must be aware of the consequences if you pull your sword on me."

"The only thing I intend to cut is that grey lump of trash." Growled the predator, sending a hateful stare to Judy. It was so intense that it made her shiver.

"That lump, as you have named her, is my slave. Consider raising your paw against her the same as raising a paw at me." Sir Nicholas Wilde gave him any icy stare.

Judy looked up at the fox's back. Is he… protecting me? No way, he just doesn't want someone else take away his fun as he tortures me.

The Earl of Fangsmoore let out a low growl, but it slowly died under the authoritative gaze of the fox. He let the sword slide back to the scabbard and took a step back.

"Wise choice." Said the fox.

But the earl wasn't giving up yet. "Sir Nicholas, I am sure you are aware of my nephew's tragic death?"

"No, I am not. I have been away for quite a long time. Nevertheless, my condolences for your loss."

"My loss will leave emptiness that cannot be filled unless his killer will face justice." The wolf shot an enraged look at the bunny again.

Sir Nicholas simply smiled. "Then your wish has been fulfilled. This rabbit has been sentenced to a life of slavery personally by general Bogo. Am I to interpret your actions that you question his judgement?"

"Ghh.." The wolf bit his tongue, forced to swallow his anger. The water buffalo in question was known to have the trust and support of king Lionheart himself. When he spoke again, the words came slow and forced. "My family honor demands that this insult is to be washed away by blood."

The fox took a step forward, his muzzle mere inches from the earl's face. "You are speaking of one of my servants. Their blood, along with everything else belongs to me. So if it is blood you want, you will have to draw it from me."

The wolf stepped back again, his face losing much of its color. Being a skilled swordsman in his prime and still able to hold his own against younger opponents, even he wouldn't dare to challenge Sir Nicholas to a duel. This time he had to accept his defeat.

"I shall take my leave." He grunted and walked away.

The fox followed him with his gaze for a while, before clapping his paws and rubbing them together. "Now then, to the matter at hand." In one swift motion he turned around and picked up Judy by the iron collar around her neck. "We will also depart to our home, as it will also be your home from now on."

Judy struggled in the air and suddenly launched her hindpaw forward, straight at the noble's face. She prided herself with having the strongest and fastest legs from all of her siblings and now she intended to make use of them. But to her surprise the fox caught her kick in mid-air, just before it could reach its target.

"My, my, what is this about?" He asked in an amused tone. She fought to get her leg free but to no avail, the fox's grip was too strong.

"I promised myself that I'll kick you if I get out alive from that building!" She huffed.

Her words made his smile grow even wider. And then he burst with laughter.

The guards and the slave trader looked dumbfounded. A situation when a slave would dare raising a paw against its master was unthinkable and if ever happened, was punished by death. Yet, this aristocrat, a member of one of the most respected bloodlines in the entire kingdom, was almost kicked to the face and was only laughing about it.

"Benjamin!" The fox turned around and threw the bunny into the cheetah's arms. "Make sure she gets to the manor in one piece. We're leaving."

The steward nodded and held her firmly. And as she kept struggling, she found the feline's grip to be far too strong to break. He even held her in a way that made biting him impossible.

"Hey, don't worry." He said when they got into a carriage. "Your new master is actually a nice guy, save for his exterior." Benjamin sat down, keeping the rabbit still.

"I don't have a master!" She barked loudly.

The cheetah let out a sigh. "Look at it this way, with Sir Nicholas you're guaranteed to have a peaceful life, even as a servant, but if anyone else there would buy you, they'd skin you alive."

"Like I care!" Exhaustion was starting to seep in, but she still refused to give up and continued to struggle.

The plump steward shook his head. "Yes, yes…"

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After an hour they have arrived at the Wilde Manor. Or rather, passed the front gate. After that the ride continued for another ten minutes through rich fields, a forest and even next to a small lake. It made Judy wonder how vast exactly are the lands belonging to the fox that bought her. But the fought immediately reignited her anger. 'Bought'… You don't 'buy' people! Eventually, the carriages pulled to a halt on a gravel filled drive-in right next to the front facade of an enormous building. It looked like every part of it was designed with the words 'unbelievable wealth' in mind. When Benjamin managed to get out of the carriage with the bunny in his paws her jaw dropped down at the sight of the courtyard. A huge fountain dominated the space in front of the mansion, three discs of fine sculptured granite, one on top of another, towering above Judy. The first level rested on the backs of a circle of horses, the second held up by three standing bears and the third one kept above the others with both arms of a huge buffalo. And on the very top a very detailed depiction of a vixen clad in a delicate tunic and holding a small pigeon in her paws. She had angel wings growing from her back, spread wide in the air. Water flooded from beneath her hindpaws and cascaded to the circular pool below.

The lawn of the size of her family's entire vegetable fields was neatly trimmed, as well as the dozens, if not hundreds of bushes surrounding the driveway. To add to the overwhelming sight, an entire legion of magnificent statues scattered around the area. Majority of them being foxes in various poses, but usually captured doing some grand gestures. And the mansion itself… She didn't even bother with counting the columns that led to the main door. The massive, elegant pillars on both sides of the stairs leading to the entrance made her feel even smaller then she actually was. And it didn't get any better when they stepped inside. Luxury was the main theme of the gargantuan entrance hall, the place so spacious that her entire family would fit easily and still have a lot of room left and that's something to say with almost 280 siblings. All of the walls were covered with paintings of all kinds and sizes, from tiny portrays to gigantic landscapes. Windows framed with heavy, red curtains with golden details on the edges. She growled internally at this display of class difference. It was unjust beyond comprehension why one mammals had to work their fingers to the bone, while others had everything handed to them on a silver platter. I bet that fox never worked a day in his entire life.

Benjamin crossed the hall and carried her towards the western wing of the building. During the walk he never stopped talking.

"This part of mansion is used as servant quarters. We live here, eat here, sleep here. On the right…" He went on with unobstructed enthusiasm while Judy kept thinking about possible ways of escape. And the sheer size of the place was an opportunity all by itself. Given the enormity of this mansion, surely there were many blind spots a small bunny like her could use to her advantage. She could bet that many animals simply never even considered running away out of the sheer fear of possible punishment if they would be captured. But not me. She thought with a twinge of pride. Her mind snapped back to attention when Benjamin took down the stairs to the basement and after several moments stopped at heavy, wooden door. It had iron bars in a small window near the top. This immediately made her think of prison and the room behind it certainly looked like one. Two square meters of cold stone with a rickety excuse for a bed and a bucket, which purpose was betrayed by the foul smell coming out of it. Benjamin let Judy down on the bed and withdrawn to the door frame. He left her in the iron collar and shackles on her wrists, connected by a chain.

"I am so sorry for this, but Sir Wilde insisted that every slave must first be accommodated here. He said that it's for learning obedience. Again, my apologies, but these are my orders. You'll get food once a day and I'll have someone to fetch you some fresh water." He actually had an apologetic face when he said that. After this, he left Judy in the dark cell, lightened only by what torches in the stone corridor could provide through the bars in the door. She sighed at her situation and lay down on the bed. It was worse that she suspected. This… room didn't provide any chance for escape. She will have to be patient.

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But several days passed and her situation didn't change. She was never allowed to walk outside. And the only visitor was a female otter, who introduced herself as Mrs. Otterton, as she brought her food every day. Judy considered tackling the small predator to the ground and try to run before she could alarm anyone, but the otter was so kind to her and sometimes stayed a bit to keep her company during the bunny's meal, that she didn't have the heart to do it.

"When they're going to let me out of here?" She asked her one day.

"I don't know dearie." Mrs. Otterton glanced at the stone floor as she set down the tray with food in a wooden bowl. "Usually it's about a week, but I've heard that some mammals spend months in here before they agreed to serve."

Judy snorted. "I'm never going to serve anyone!"

The otter didn't respond to that, she simply bowed her head for goodbye and left.

The bunny fell on her bed, greatly irritated by the lack of options she had in this situation. If what she said is true, then I might never leave this place… She thought gloomily. For a moment she considered faking obedience just to get out of the place, but she felt so nauseated by the idea of bowing to the fox or having to pledge her loyalty to that smirking bastard, that she instantly dropped it. And then her gaze fell on the bowl brought by Mrs. Otterton. She still could do one thing.

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Sir Nicholas Wilde sighed.

"She is doing what?" He dropped the letter he was reading on the table before him. The fox was sitting on a large chair in the gazebo located in the back garden of the mansion. He placed one elbow on the chair's support and rested the side of his head on a fist.

"She refuses to eat or drink, sir." Benjamin reluctantly reported to his master. He fidgeted with his paws, a thing he did whenever he was nervous.

"Since when?" The fox inquired with a tired voice.

"It's… it's been already a week, sir." The cheetah's ears dropped down.

"So why am I told about this only now? I instructed you to take care of her." There was no anger or accusation in the voice, but it made Benjamin flinch.

"My apologies, sir!" He bowed his head. "I was hoping to manage the situation on my own, but she refuses to listen to me and we… we even tried to forcefully feed her but she spat everything right out. Right now she just lies on the bed, she even stopped moving and the doctor said that if she won't start eating and drinking soon… " He swallowed. "She might die."

Sir Nicholas stared at his steward for a moment and then stood from his chair. "Bunnies…" He grunted and headed for the mansion, Benjamin trailing behind him.

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Judy was dying. She was sure of that. All strength left her body and she wasn't even able to lift a finger right now. Her lips were dry as sand and her heartbeat was uncomfortably fast. Adding the fever, it was a certain sign of being on a proper path to death. But she was glad that it would end this way. She'd at least have the satisfaction that she never yielded to the nobles. The bunny lay on her back with eyes closed, since her eyelids became too heavy to keep them up. Not that there was anything worth looking at in this cell.

She knew that Mrs. Otterton was by her side, with a bowl of food and a vase with drinking water, but didn't pay attention to her. Then she heard the familiar creak of the door being opened and two more sets of hindpaws entered the room.

"Leave." Said an authoritative voice. "Both of you."

There was a sound of hurried steps and soon they died out in the corridor. The door has been slammed shut. She could feel someone's presence nearby and even feel this person's breath on her face. And its smell carried a slight hint of blueberries.

"I can help you, but you must live." Said the voice. Too low for a female… The cheetah? But something in it caused her to feel a glint of hope, it had confidence that made part of her to believe that it could really do it. Help her. It was but a sliver of optimism, yet Judy's determined heart now wanted to bet her life on even that slim chance that things could change. But how? I'm too weak… God, I'm so thirsty… And as if on cue, she heard a splash of water. A moment later she felt something being pressed against her dry mouth and she noticed some moistness tingling her lips. She parted them slightly and water flowed inside, making her almost moan from bliss as the cold liquid ran down her throat. And it ran a bit too fast and she coughed, spitting some of it outside. When she calmed down, the pressure returned and now the water flew in smaller amount, as if to adapt to her drinking pace. It lasted for a few moments and Judy felt slightly better after drinking what she now considered the best drink of her life, fully aware that it was only water. It dispersed some of the tension in her body and mind, allowing her to slip into a peaceful sleep.

When she woke up with a cough, someone was beside her and the bunny again felt the now familiar pressure on her lips as she drank the offered water. Her fever dropped down a little and someone placed a wet cloth over her forehead and eyes to ease her suffering.

She didn't know how long this situation dragged on but whenever she woke up in the dark cell, the mysterious helper was there to serve her water. Eventually she felt strong enough to speak again, even if it was just one word. "Food…" Judy croaked. And she heard shuffling noises and a rattle of wood. The bowl? After a moment something pressed again on her mouth and she opened them obediently. A mashed up mass of vegetables was pushed inside her mouth. "Chew." Ordered her caretaker and she did so. It took her some time with the slow movement she was capable of, but eventually she was able to swallow the food. In the meantime, the cloth was taken from her head and a paw touched gently her forehead, most likely to check if the fever was still there. Thankfully, it was gone and Judy felt grateful for that. She received few more portions and swallowed them with eagerness that came from a week of starvation. But with the next one she felt something weird. As the food entered her mouth and she reached with her tongue for it, it brushed against something warm and slippery. Not being able to identify it she lifted her eyelids an inch. And her eyes shot wide open at what she saw. A fox had his muzzle pressed against her lips. Jade green of his eyes staring down at her. She gurgled and spat out the food, forcing the predator to rise up.

"What are you doing?!" She coughed furiously.

"Keeping you alive." He replied with a calm voice and wiped his mouth with the back of his paw.

Alive?! She thought in panic.

"Wait… that voice…"

"It was me." He stated as he stood up from the edge of her bed.

She managed to hoist her torso up and support her weight on elbows. Anger mixed with shock flooded her mind. She gasped at a sudden realization.

"You… you were the one that gave me water…" She whispered, rage rising in her throat. Only now she pieced together the sensations from the times she received the liquid to drink. The things she felt when she was served the drink were warmth and softness.

"Correct." He showed her an indifferent gaze while straightening the sleeves of his shirt.

Her little tongue briefly touched her upper lip. She narrowed her eyes. "How dare you?!"

The fox remained unmoved by her angry words. He turned around and opened the door.

"I've seen too many young mammals throwing away their lives for foolish reasons." He said without turning back to her.

She wanted to jump at him. She wanted to kick him and brake that uptight attitude. To shatter that confidence he had. But exhaustion from the dehydration and starvation was still too severe and she fell down on her back with a groan.

"I hate you!" She exclaimed through gritted teeth.

And then, to Judy's surprise, he turned his head to her. "Well, that makes two of us." He said in a weird voice, that was neither serious nor playful. Then she saw a peculiar smirk decorate his face, a smile but with no joy behind it.

He left, slamming the door behind him.