As we returned behind stage, all I could think about was the amount we were sold for. I could not believe it. Even with the small part the guild itself took, our family would not have to worry about money for a long time to come. Our father could afford the tools and fabrics to get back to the top of the business.
I prayed that the cost of it would not stop him from doing so, but there was no sense now on dwelling on things we could not control.
Jea'shin was happy for us, this was apparent as she gabbed us both into a big hug. It's funny, I'd only known her a few days, and would not likely see here after our new master picked us up. But she was a friend I'd remember forever.
The others all but cheered us as they congratulated us for our sale, except the fellow who was to follow us, who complained in a mostly good natured way.
Eventually we even got our meager clothes back.
Then came the waiting.
Our master didn't show up until almost the end of the auction. I don't know if he was waiting for another slave he wanted to bid on, was just curious, or what.
I get ahead of myself a bit, I didn't know for a fact that it was a he. There were females that acted as agents at times, and worked for the guild. It's just a bit rarer.
We were chatting with Jea'shin when he arrived, behind us, and said, "Say goodbye, boys. It's time to go."
He sounded friendly enough, and familiar, as I mentioned before. As I looked over my shoulder, I saw why. It was that northerner leopard that had come to test us before. I guess our performance was what he was looking for. The way he approached us gave me some hope. Not the direct orders that some gave, and calling us 'boys' was a lot less formal.
Anyway, I said "yes, Master" and we said our goodbyes. In particular we kissed Jea'shin's cheeks with a friendly purr.
While we were doing that, he picked gathered up two others. Both male foxes, though of different breeds. One red, one white. The white northern breed looks a lot different than their southern cousins, smaller rounder ears, a thicker pelt, somewhat shorter face, though still with elegant features. Their names were Jeak and Iry respectively.
Sadly, Jea'shin was not among them. It turns out our new owner preferred to deal with male slaves, just because of what he liked. He claimed he had a better eye for it because of that. I guess I can understand that.
As I had mentioned before his name was Slave Master Honas.
He brought us back to his room in the Inn he stayed in. It was just outside the other side of the slavers compound, an independent business that made most of it's money serving overflow from the market weeks. It offered nicer quarters than the Guild did.
Up the stairs we went, the five of us, and he knocked on the door to his room. From inside we heard a thump, and then the door opened with a respectful "Master".
By this time I had seen bears before, several as slaves even. I had seen a lot in this last week. But never a northerner. Their faces are built differently, I think the snout is longer, and they are a blinding white in color. This one wore a collar of a sort I'd never seen before, it had small but very noticeable spikes along it.
He was also armed with a dagger that looked kinda small on his hip.
There are some sorts of slaves you don't see very often. Bodyguards are one of them. Few will trust their slave with their life like that. Apparently Honas was that sort.
He certainly looked more than fit to do the job, he was huge, even by bear standards. It looked like he could break his Master in half with his bare hands, much less us.
The way they treated each other it was clear they had been together a long time. Somewhere between master and slave, and old friends.
I guess saying that he had a room does not do it justice. There were actually two rooms. I guess you could call the outer one a parlor or some such. It had a few old but well kept overstuffed chairs and a couch. The other was a bedroom.
Honas looked at the four of us, my brother and I, and the two foxes that is. After a moment's thought he said, "you two, with me" to us, and we followed in back into the other room, where he closed the door.
He had us undress him, and I got my first good look at him. Of course I was to see him nude again later, quite a bit, but I've come to find that first time is always the most thrilling.
We got his shirt over his head, and he shook out his pelt as we kneeled down to deal with his pants. He wore brown leather laced up the front, yet thick enough to provide some protection. I was told later it was a style that had gone out some years ago, but he seemed to like it. However, that was not what was on my mind at the time.
I think I said I found him attractive. Well, having him partly nude while I was kneeling before him didn't dissuade that notion in the slightest. He was not hugely built, I never really found that attractive, but carried a strength about him regardless. The more elegant strength of a swordsman than blacksmith, if you know what I mean.
I can tell if I find a man attractive just from the belt up. The way their chest is built, if you can see the nipples through the pelt, the lines of the stomach and how they lead into the groin. The back, too, the shoulders and such.
I had plenty of time the last few weeks to figure that out, too. Beside each other, our experience with other male's nudity was restricted to skinny dipping with some friends back home. On the other hand this last week I had bathed daily with a crowds of slaves of all shapes and sizes.
Now this is not to say that I don't appreciate a nicely built sheath and balls, or shaft. And he most certainly had that, as I found out when we got his boots and pants off. I like it when the sac is loose enough to hang some, I think. I could not tell you why, I just do.
He had us strip out of our sandals and loincloths and join him in bed. Expensive as the quarters were, it was a bit tight for three, but that didn't turn out to be a problem. He laied out on his back, and had us take either side of him. It made a nice picture, I think. The solid black of our fur framing his white underside, and we both found ourselves stroking our fingers over his chest and stomach.
He chuckled then and said, "there will be plenty enough time for that later, boys. It's time to sleep now." I don't know how I had missed it, but I had grown rather hard against his hip, and the way he casually commented on it brought that heat to my face.
With his arms around us to keep him warm, he drifted off to sleep. I stayed awake a while longer, as did my brother. We looked at each other, and smiled.
I know he was thinking the same thing I was. Enough so that we both had to suppress a giggle as we saw it in each other's eyes.
"It could certainly be worse".
Gazing at each other over that white chest we slowly drifted off ourselves.