Hello everyone,

Thank you very much for your continuous support and kind words.

Chapter 8

The silence was killing her.

It was some time since they departed from the auction house and none of them said a word. Judy, because even with all the fiery determination she had in her, she felt the pressure radiating from the mammal before her. They were sitting face to face on the opposite couches inside the carriage, the doe with her short legs hanging from the seat, her paws firmly on her knees. She let her gaze wander everywhere, but not on the fox. He was leaned forward, supporting his elbows on the knees and forehead resting on folded paws. The fox remained like that with his eyes closed, from the moment they've began their return.

It wasn't something she expected. In her mind, she had visions of shouting, cold stares, maybe even threats… But not this. I'd prefer if he DID shout… For a brief moment, she wondered if he was awake, with the stillness he maintained for so long. Her eyes dared stealing a short glance at the noble vulpine. The silent, motionless figure was right in front of her, not showing any signs of life. If not for her great sense of hearing, which told her that he was breathing, she could've started suspecting that he has turned into a statue. And then something caught her eye. Since his head was lowered, she had a clear view of the top of it and in the red fur her gaze found a bleak scar that ran from above his left eyebrow over to the back of the left ear. This piqued her interest and she began thinking where he could've gotten this wound.

It was weird. Her emotions towards this fox were swaying so much from hatred, to unquenchable curiosity. Before she even noticed, her paw started unconsciously reaching out for his head. What am I doing?! Judy's mind was shocked by her own action and her paw twitched, stopping mid-air. But then the fascination won the internal struggle, so it moved forward again. And her fingers were getting closer to her master's fur by the second.

Ten inches…

Five inches…

Two inches…

One in-

"You are a very dumb bunny." Sir Nicholas stated in a low voice. He raised his head and stared at the doe before her, who was sitting up right with a panicked face and both paws gripping tightly the fabric of the dress on her knees.

"Very dumb indeed…" The fox raised a brow at her posture, but did not dwell deeper into that. "What were you thinking?"

Judy blinked, her body finally coming to senses after pulling the arm back in a blur, leaving her heart pounding hard in her little chest. "Excuse me?"

"Do you realize what you have done?" He asked of her while leaning back on his seat, moving his paws to his thigs.

She shrugged with a frown on her face. "I didn't do anything. If you're talking about that wolf, he attacked us…"

"And he had the opportunity to do so because you were foolish and did not think of the consequences of your actions!" He barked, now his voice and eyes finally showing the embers of anger burning inside him.

The bunny spread her arms. "I wanted to see my siblings, what's wrong with that?"

"Your lack of thinking is the problem." The fox scolded her.

Judy scrunched her nose in disagreement "That wolf is the problem, not me!"

This statement made Sir Nicholas spring up from his seat. In the enclosed space of the carriage, the fox was towering over the sitting bunny. "Like a complete fool, you have left my side and placed yourself in a perfect spot for cutting you down by that wolf. You have not bothered to consider what your actions meant for those around you." He leaned to the now puzzled bunny. "Your foolishness has endangered not only you, but also Benjamin. If I had not arrived on time, both of you would have been killed."

Judy's eyes widened as she heard that and her ears drooped behind her head. Memory of the feline steward's face contorted in pain appeared in her mind, causing a wave of guilt washing over her. And though she hated to admit it, the fox was right. He was hurt because of me…

Seeing that the point he was trying to make got through to her, Sir Nicholas straightened up. "Keep one thing in your mind," he used a more authoritative tone of voice this time "my presence is the only thing keeping you alive right now. Step away from me and it will get you killed."

Still deep in her thoughts, the doe lifted her face, blinking. "What?"

The fox sighed and opened his mouth to answer when the carriage was suddenly brought to a halt. Sir Nicholas lost his balance and fell forward, his paws shooting out to find support. And they found it on the back of Judy's seat, stopping his fall a fraction of an inch from the bunny. The girl's eyes shot wide open in bewilderment, the vulpine's emerald ones staying calm, yet surprised.

Their muzzles were almost touching.

Judy's heartbeat accelerated, but not her breathing, as her lungs refused to work at all in this sudden predicament, as if they forgot how to do it. Her face once again experienced the warmth of his breath and the bunny's nose twitched from the slightly musky scent of the fox. Judy would have done something, like scream or push him away if not for the fact that her mind didn't seem to issue such a command. After few seconds, that for the doe stretched into hours, Sir Nicholas slowly straightened up, not breaking eye contact with her.

A shout from outside the carriage eventually caught his attention. The fox opened the door and walked outside without a word. When the door clicked close behind him, Judy gasped for air and her paw shot up to her pounding heart. Oh God… He… I… We… What?!

.

.

"What is the meaning of this?" The noble fox demanded from the coach driver. The grey fox in the driver's seat held the reins in one paw and used the other to point at the road ahead.

"My apologies, sir. I noticed it in the last moment, right after the turn." He explained.

Indeed, the carriage was currently in the middle of a forest and the huge tree lying across the road must have been impossible to spot before making the turn. Sir Nicholas walked over to the obstacle and surveyed it with narrowed eyes. One particular thing has drawn his attention. He got closer to the base of the tree and clicked his tongue. It has been clearly chopped down with axes. Meanwhile Judy managed to recompose herself and popped her head out of the carriage's door window.

The noble fox beckoned at the coachmammal. "Detach the horses, prepare them for riding. Do it quickly." He turned towards the bunny. "Come on out, we have to leave shortly." The vulpine told her as the grey fox started working on the harness of one of the horses.

"Why? What happened?" She got out to the dirt road.

"Can you ride a horse?" Sir Nicholas said over his arm when he started undoing the buckles on the second horse's harness.

"No…" Judy replied, as her family was not wealthy enough to buy and keep one. That, and her mother being strongly against using them for work or transportation.

"Today you will have the chance…" He told her, his paws working quickly. Judy eyed the tree across the road.

"Oh, I see…"

Then her ears picked up sound from the road behind them. Unmistakable sound of hooves. Many of them. "Someone else is coming." She said out loud and those words made Sir Nicholas flinch.

"Are you certain?" There was seriousness in his voice.

The doe turned her head towards the road. "Well… yes. At least several horseAAHH!" She yelped when the fox snatched her from the ground with one arm and threw her on the hooved animal's back.

"Hurry!" He shouted to the grey fox and jumped up to sit right behind Judy. Sir Nicholas unsheathed his sword and with two quick swings cut the remaining leather straps on both horses. The coach driver obeyed and climbed up on the second animal. Both foxes held the reins and urged the stallions to move. The powerful animals bolted forward and jumped with ease over the tree. Judy yelped and felt that she's sliding off but then a red furred arm coiled around her waist and pressed her back to the fox's stomach in a firm but gentle grip. The doe felt a blush in her cheeks, a reaction caused by being this close to a male, something that never happened with her brothers or cousins. But it was happening with a fox. And even through two layers of clothing she could feel heat emanating from Sir Nicholas' body, not to mention the sensation of muscles flexing beneath the skin of his arm.

"Whatever you are thinking about this, leave it for when we arrive at the mansion." He cautioned her, the surrounding forest passing by them in a blur. "We have no time for arguments!"

Just as he said that a shot rang out behind them and a bullet swished close to the fox's arm. Judy let out a surprised shriek. With the heart in her throat, she dared to lean to the side a bit and below the noble vulpine's arm she saw a group of mammals chasing them on horses. She couldn't get a clear view but they looked like bandits to her. Both foxes forced their horses to an even faster gallop. Another bullet cut the air, this time almost grazing the red fox's head.

"Almost there, sir!" The coachmammal shouted as the first gate to the Wilde lands has appeared on the horizon. And a moment later the third bullet found a target and hit the grey fox in the back. The vulpine gasped and slung to the side, already dead before his body hit the dirt road and rolled from the impact. Judy pressed both paws to her mouth, shocked by the sight of the dying mammal. Death wasn't something new to her, she herself killed several times, but this was different. Now they were someone's prey, running for their lives. And that was an innocent, low class servant. A distant memory forced its way into her consciousness. Is this how they felt 10 years ago? Having hunters on their backs and armed with nothing but the hope that they can run or hide from them?

"We are safe now!" The fox's voice pulled her back to the present. They were still on their way to the mansion, the horse in full gallop, the gate now behind them, as well as the pursuers. Apparently, they didn't dare to venture into the noble fox's lands. And after several moments the duo arrived at the main entrance of the mansion, Sir Nicholas pulling on the reins to stop the horse. When they eventually stopped, the fox jumped off its back, still holding Judy. He left her on the grass and turned towards the building.

"GUARDS! TO ME!" He roared at the top of his lungs, causing the bunny to protect her ears with paws. She pressed them both to her head. The vulpine didn't have to wait long for a response, as moments later three armed foxes ran out of the main hall.

"Spread the word! I want an entire company on horses, NOW! You," he pointed at a young red fox guard and then indicated the bunny "escort her to my quarters! If ANYTHING happens to her, I will have your head!" Sir Nicholas snarled with bared teeth, causing the guard to swallow nervously. Nevertheless, he saluted and approached Judy to help her up from the ground. She cast a glance with mixed emotions towards the noble fox. Her usual disgust and hatred has been temporarily replaced with slight awe at the sight of this domineering vulpine.

And just as she started walking towards the mansion, Judy's ears twitched at the sound of Sir Nicholas' voice. What surprised her was that it didn't sound too much like him. The words were rough and simple, with no trace of usual smoothness. It could've been a peasant speaking.

"You want a war?" He muttered it so low that the doe suspected that she was the only one to hear it. "I'll give you a war you won't believe!"

When he said that, Judy managed to catch a glimpse of his eyes as he gazed towards the direction they came from. The usually charming emeralds were on fire.

And I thought he was angry before…

.

.

Judy didn't protest when the young fox guided her to the already familiar room and shut the door after she went inside. The doe wasn't certain, but she thought that she heard a sigh of relief from the guard that led her here. That noble must be really frightening when mad.

With this thought, Judy walked over to the huge bed and sat on the edge of it. The excitement and nervousness refused to leave her body. She didn't know where her siblings were, what the fox was planning to do... The bunny did not move from that spot as she was going over the events of the day, to distract herself from thinking about the carriage that Benjamin was supposed to use to come back to the mansion. Her paws were clutched into fists, but slowly they relaxed and she put them together in front of her. It was something she hasn't done for a long time now.

Judy started praying.

.

.

It was evening and sky was getting darker by the minute when something finally happened. "Miss Judy! Miss Judy!" Mrs. Otterton's voice was heard already from the corridor and the doe ran to the door, reaching them as the female otter opened them.

"They have returned!"

Judy's ears shot up hearing this news. "Is it Benjamin? Are they alright?"

Mrs. Otterton took her paw. "Let us go meet them." She stated simply and led the bunny towards the main entrance of the building. When they arrived, riders already started filling up the dimly lit front yard. Never in her life Judy saw this many armed foxes in one place. Ten… twenty… more than thirty heavily armed guards were gathered on the lawn and gravel filled driveway. And new ones were still appearing from the road, among them Sir Nicholas. When he got closer, Judy's ears twitched nervously at the sight of his appearance. The white shirt was now smeared with blood, some of it sprayed across the fox's muzzle. He stopped his horse right in front of the columns leading to the main door and dismounted. The bunny also noticed a pair of pistols tucked in his belt and the sword by his side. But it was his face that drawn her attention the most. The anger she saw earlier was completely gone, replaced by his usual calm and unreadable expression. He turned to the horse's saddle and reached for something that was slung across the animal's back. Her heart rang a bitter tune when she recognized the motionless, grey shape. Sit Nicholas pulled and took the body of the coachmammal in his arms. He turned to the entrance and headed towards the door, carrying the corpse with him. The bunny's gaze was fixed on the deceased fox, whom she saw alive just this afternoon. As the noble was passing by the doe, he stopped for a moment.

"Enjoy your reunion." He stated in a flat voice and walked into the mansion.

And she was so focused on the fox that she barely noticed the crunch of gravel under the coach's wheels. The vehicle came to the very front of the entrance, right next to Sir Nicholas' horse, surrounded by another large group of guards. Few of them also had some signs of battle on their clothes, but not so much as the noble fox. But her mind switched focus on to the carriage door, where a plump feline appeared, big smile on his face, even though he had some trouble squeezing himself through. In his arms, two sleeping rabbit kits.

"Sheila, Tommy!" She hurried to the steward's side.

"They're all fine. I gave them something to eat and drink, and they were out like a light."

Judy surveyed both of her siblings with her eyes and breathed with relief when she didn't spot any wounds on them. Someone, probably Benjamin, has already removed all the shackles.

"Thank you…" She whispered, placing a paw on the cheetah's shoulder and only then she noticed a piece of cloth wrapped around his forearm. In one place, it had a crimson tint. Judy glanced up at the steward with a solemn expression on her face. "I'm sorry. That fox was right, it's my fault…"

Still smiling, Benjamin shook his head. "Don't worry about it, It's just a small cut." He nodded his head towards the mansion's entrance. "Come on, we'll talk inside." The spotted predator started walking, Judy trailing right behind him. With the corner of her eye, Judy saw the wounded female lynx getting out of the carriage. The small feline winced from pain when her hindpaws touched the ground and was about to collapse when one of the guards, Judy recognized him as Marcus, caught her. The girl showed a terrified expression and made an attempt to get free and walk on her own, but the fox simply lifted her from the ground and carried the flustered female inside in his arms. It was another surprise for the doe, not sure what the vulpine's action meant. But she didn't have time to ponder on that as she had to hurry after the cheetah.

"Benjamin, it wouldn't have happened if hadn't ran out like that…"

To her utter surprise the feline chuckled as they headed to the corridor that lead to the noble fox's bedroom, which was now used by the bunny. "I have known master Nicholas since the day he took me in twenty years ago. If he said something like that, he only meant to scare you."

She huffed hearing this. "Figures, that's so like him…"

Benjamin's eyes widened. "No! Wait, that's not what I meant! Oh gosh… How to say this…" He paused for a moment, before his face turned to Judy again and he leaned to her. "Look, you never heard it from me, because Sir Nicholas would cut my pastry rights if he knew I told you this, but his intention is to keep you safe, even if by using a bit… unpleasant methods."

This time the doe was genuinely surprised. "Him? Keep me safe? Why would he do that?"

Another big smile appeared on the steward's face. It was a bit different than the others he showed her before. It looked like it reached far deeper into the feline's heart, compared to simple humor. It had a story behind it. "That question you have to ask Sir Nicholas by yourself." And at that moment they have arrived at the bedroom.

"After you." Said the smiling cheetah. Judy entered the room when a memory resurfaced in her mind.

"Benjamin… You bring them straight here? Not to the dungeon?" Her words carried a portion of sarcasm with them.

The plump feline gently placed the sleeping kits on the bed and headed back to the door. Once there, he stopped for a moment. "Master Nicholas told me once: slavery is not a fate for children." And with another wide smile, he left.

Judy was left in the room with complete silence as her companion, along with two soundly sleeping little rabbits. She climbed on the bed and nestled herself next to them, her paws gently rubbing their fur. I'm with you now… Sister will keep you safe. A warm feeling filled her chest as she gazed at them with love. The tension of the day finally started leaving her body, causing her muscles to relax and mind to calm down fully. With this occurring, Judy was ready to think about the fox that kept her here. Initially, she hated him to the very core of her being. He was the embodiment of what she despised in the class system. But now… Well, she still despised him for what he did, but…

Maybe she hated him a bit less.

And what was difficult to deal with, was the veil of mystery that surrounded him. Before she realized it, Judy had more and more questions about his past, his motives, about himself. And it was both annoying and thrilling at the same time for the bunny, plus, the more questions she asked the less answers she received.

And that incident in the carriage… It caught her totally by surprise and the doe was still uncertain what to make of it. She was too shocked at that time, to react in any way, but one thing etched itself in her mind.

Why he didn't push me away?

.

.

When Sir Nicholas returned to the room he used as a reserve bedroom, Benjamin was already there, a tray with a warm meal and hot tea in his paws.

"Sir." He greeted him.

The fox threw the belt with the sword to a nearby chair and pointed at the cheetah's arm. "How is the wound?"

Benjamin eyed the damp cloth around the cut. "Oh, I've stopped the bleeding. I shall deal with it more thoroughly later."

Sir Nicholas snatched the tea cup from the tray and gulped down the hot liquid in one go. "No. You will deal with it now." He started unbuttoning his shirt.

"But, sir…"

The noble fox indicated the table in the middle of the room. "Put that down and go see the doctor. Do not make me repeat myself." He said in a calm manner and this time the feline didn't argue and did as he was told. Benjamin left the tray and headed for the door just as Sir Nicholas pulled the bloodied shirt over his head and threw it to the floor.

The spotted predator scrunched his nose after what he saw. "Sir… I don't think I'll ever get used to the sight of… this." He pointed a nervous finger at the fox's chest. The vulpine raised a brow and took a few steps to a large mirror that was hanging on the wall. His eyes surveyed his own torso.

"I will have to…"

The steward gave him a sympathetic look before grabbing the door's handle.

"Benjamin." He stopped when his master called him.

"Yes, sir?" The big predator turned around.

"The prisoners?" Came a short question from the fox. He referred to the few mammals they managed to capture during their expedition.

"All in the dungeon." Sir Nicholas didn't inquire about the rest of the bandit group as he very well knew where they were. Six feet under. He personally made sure of that.

"The lynx?"

"The doctor tended to her wounds. She will live."

The questions ended and the fox nodded thoughtfully. "I see…"

"You should rest, sir. It has been a tiring day. Still, we had some entertainment too…" He made a small attempt at cheering up his master.

"True…" What left the fox's muzzle was barely a mutter and something in his voice made cheetah flinch and look more carefully at the noble vulpine.

"Sir. You are smiling." He observed with a smile of his own.

Sir Nicholas turned back from the mirror. "Am I now?"

"Yes, yes you are, sir." And the cheetah dared to add a question to that. "Did something happen in the carriage?"

With a mischievous smirk, the fox tapped the side of his nose with a finger. "Let us just say that I have come across a very nice smell."