The Runestones
Fall, Year 17
Mid-afternoon

It was rare for Aliana to ever leave Fenmyre territory. Between Chimera preferring they all remain on the island and having to manage her half dozen quickly growing boys, that didn't leave much in the way of free time for her to just go take day trips anywhere or do anything remotely considered "fun" or a hobby. It was fine; Ali took her duties as a queen and her role as a mother with far more importance than any of her own fleeting whims or wishes. Besides, she'd lived her whole life without the freedom to make decisions of her own, so why would she need to start now? But when a wandering merchant came to Fenmyre's borders to tell the seclusive pack about a traders' market being set up in southern Auster, the monochrome queen was greatly interested to see what sorts of wares the wolves and other creatures of the market had to offer. She'd seen so little of the world, it was immensely fascinating for her to learn about other lands, creatures, and cultures.

With a small amount of pleading to Chimera, the behemoth king agreed to take her to go peruse the shops and see what they had. Aliana was ecstatic, practically skipping and bouncing with glee as they made their way south to the cluster of runic stones that the trader had said the shops were at. As they approached, a few canvas tents and stalls could be seen set up, a number of different animals all perusing the goods, bartering and haggling as they went. "Thank you for bringing me here," Aliana said softly to Chimera when they neared the market. The market wasn't extraordinarily large, a bit smaller than the Love Day carnival they had all gone to, but she just didn't know where to begin either; there was so much to see and do!

"Chimera & Aliana"

Aliana asked for very little, so when she brought up the little market that a traveling vendor had mentioned, Chimera couldn't say no. Leaving the pack in Dalila's capable paws, the pair packed up a little bag of valuables and were on their way. The trek wasn't terribly far, but he'd informed the pack that they would be gone for a few days. If anything, it would be a nice break for Ali. She spent all of her time mothering their giant brood and he appreciated everything that she did for both him and his boys.

The excitement thrumming through his small, clouded queen brought a smile to Chimera's face. He was happy to be able to do this for her, though a part of him felt bad that such a small thing could make her so giddy. Was he doing enough for his queens? Yes, he worked his paws to the bone to better the island and to keep them all safe, but did he pay them the attention that they deserved? None of them would complain, of course. Perhaps they should. Perhaps he should ask them if they were happy or what they were lacking. He would be more mindful when they returned, but today was for Aliana.

Arriving at the traveling market, Ali bounced happily, her aqua eyes wide with wonder. A low chuckle rumbled from the brutes chest as she thanked him and made a beeline for the first booth. He would spare no expense today. Whatever she wanted, she would have. Coming up beside her at one of the booths, the man leaned down to nuzzle into his queen's cheek. "I have the dogs coming with the small cart," he informed her. If that wasn't the green light to buy what she wanted, he didn't know what was.

"Chimera & Aliana"

Beginning to peruse the stalls in the market, Liana already saw a plethora of things she'd never seen before in her life! Jewelry designs that were so foreign and intriguing, silks and garments bearing patterns and dyes she couldn't put names to, furs of creatures she couldn't identify, and the smells of cooking foods coming from somewhere else... it was all so much to take in! While she was inspecting a few of the rare pieces of jewelry, she felt Chimera come closer and nuzzle her cheek closest to him, drawing a happy murr from the small fae. He told her the dogs would be coming with a cart for their purchases, and Ali peered up at him with a bright smile and dazzling eyes. She understood Chimera's hint perfectly. Though not one to usually buy things for herself, Ali could look for things for the pack. And maaaybe she could be convinced to find some things for herself, especially if Chimera liked them as well.

"What do you think of any of these?" she asked, leaning gently into her mate's strong forelegs. She lifted a bracelet made of turquoise beads and a cloth choker with several aquamarine stones stitched into the delicate black fabric. There were a number of other pieces of jewelry on the trader's table, the owner of the stall an older fae who was still actively working on some pieces as the two wolves perused. "Everything you see, I make by paw," she told the king and queen, her voice bearing a foreign Mediterranean accent. "All real stones, mined from my homeland. Please, try some on! A pretty lady deserves pretty things, yes?" Aliana blushed slightly, still not used to shopping for herself—or at all, really—and glanced up to Chimera for his input on anything he saw.

"Chimera & Aliana"

Chimera could feel the excitement thrum through the tiny woman beside him and he gave a soft chuckle. The old wolf knew the look in his eye and knew that she would be able to make a sale, so she complimented Aliana and pushed her wares. Chimera didn't mind. This was how the woman made her living and if it made his clouded queen happy, she could have whatever she wanted.

The big brute trailed along beside Ali as she inspected the wares, though he wasn't shopping. His senses were on alert for danger. They were out here in the middle of nowhere with valuables to trade. Easy pickings if the group of traders decided to ambush them. Always suspicious, the giant man never let his guard down.

Chi almost didn't hear Aliana at first when she questioned him about the items that had caught her eye. He looked back towards her a moment later, inspecting the pieces that she'd chosen. A contemplative sound pulled from him and he gave a shrug. "They all pale in comparison to your beauty, my queen." Then he leaned forward, his lips against her ear, and spoke in a sultry whisper. "Don't get too attached to anything that you put around your neck." She would know exactly what he meant by that.

"Chimera & Aliana"

Unlike Chimera, Aliana had no caution being about in public. She trusted her safety to her king with absolute faith in the behemoth of a wolf. She was never in any danger so long as he was with her. In fact, she hadn't truly felt like her life was in danger since the day he'd claimed her as his. When she'd been a slave on the market, she feared for her safety every day. When she first came to serve the Kleins, she worried herself sick that she might disappoint them and Chimera would snuff her life out. Even during the first time he'd mounted and taken her, she'd had a nagging dread that the black and white brute would simply snap her neck when he came. But he didn't. He kept her safe, protected her when the jaguar tried to kill her, and even when he was his roughest with her, he never put her in mortal jeopardy. Chimera was the epitome of sanctuary to Aliana.

While he was busy keeping a cautious eye out for them, Ali was busy perusing the goods the jewelry merchant had on display. Presenting the options she liked to Chimera earned her the response she more or less expected from the man who valued her more than the things she put on. A wry smirk slid over the queen's lips, giggling softly to herself at how incorrigible he was—until he leaned in closer and she heard and felt the rasp of his sultry breath in her ear, planting lewd thoughts and resurrecting hot memories in her brain. Ali bit her lip and hummed in pensive thought, considering his warning and ultimately disregarding it. "Well, then I suppose we'll just have a bit of fun getting you to break them then," she whispered back, her seductive purr just low enough for his ears alone. She affixed the aquamarine-studded choker around her slender neck and then selected another made of pristine white lace. "I'll take both of these, please."

She allowed Chimera to handle the fiscal aspect of the transaction, being head of Fenmyre's treasury, and once that was taken care of, she began to head down the rows of stalls, sliding her body and shapely hips against Chimera's side just to give her mate a little something to enjoy for treating her so nicely. Walking with a bit of a sway past a couple of stalls selling weapons and armor (she had no interest in any of these wares), she cast her gaze back to up Chi for a moment, leaning into his side while they walked. "You really shouldn't tease me when we're out in public, you know. It's not very nice," she joked with a bat of her long eyelashes, followed up by a surreptitious flick of her tail against Chi's inner thigh. "And you never know if I might tease you back." Giggling again, Ali moved down to a stall selling an assortment of rare furs and fabrics, beginning to browse through for bedding for themselves as well as their growing children who would soon need their own rooms. "Are you fond of any particular furs, my love?"

"Chimera & Aliana"

Having no interest in the feminine baubles, Chimera looked away while Ali browsed. Sure, he could have looked for trinkets for Siren and Dalila, but he had the idea that they might like to choose their own items on their own personal trips to some market in the future. His clouded queen was surely enjoying herself. The childlike expression on her delicate features was proof of that. He imagined that, as a slave, she'd have been at markets, but never on the receiving end.

He teased the woman and she teased him back as he expected, her words eliciting a low chuckle from the giant. Aliana chose her items and Chimera completed the transaction before moving on. As the pair walked along, Aliana made it a point to slide her lithe frame against him, which he appreciated. He wasn't sure that they were going to make it back home before he had his way with her. Chimera was already planning to send the dogs ahead so that they could have some alone time together out in the wilds where Aliana could be as loud as she wanted.

The silvered fae pressed into his side, leaning up to whisper sweet threats into his ear. She threatened to tease him back and the behemoth growled low. "That's what I'm hoping for." Chimera stayed where he was, watching the shapely woman walk away from him so he could admire her... assets.

Coming to the fur trader, Aliana began to browse the wares. She questioned his preference of furs and, without missing a beat, Chimera spoke. "I'm rather fond of the fur between your thighs, love." The man moved forward, eyeing the variety of skins laid out for purchase. There was a particularly soft looking blanket that was made up with patches of leopard skin. Thinking nothing of it, Chimera asked, "Do you think Reila would appreciate this?" The former slave woman had no possessions of her own. He believed that it would be a nice gesture now that she was an official member of the pack.

"Chimera & Aliana"

Oh, Aliana knew she was playing with fire by teasing the lecherous king of Fenmyre. That was half the fun of their interactions, though! The usually demure and introverted woman found a side of herself she never knew existed before Chimera had come into her life—or more aptly, she'd been brought into his life. The Klein brute had unlocked a side of her not only repressed, but wholly unidentified. He had liberated her in ways she couldn't possibly have dreamed of as a slave, molded her into what she had grown into. While a part of her would always remain that reserved and meek slave, another part of her had begun to blossom and grow into a compassionate and confident queen. But no matter how empowered she became in her femininity, she would always be Chimera's, in body, mind, and spirit.

The chuckles and low, lustful growls she was able to coax from Chimera's lips were like music to her ears. His primal sounds were so raw, so masculine, and were one of her favorite songs in the world. Oh, so he wanted her to tease him back? Well, she would be his genie and grant his wish then. A seductive smirk on her lips, Ali knew that their walk home would likely be delayed, and was already anticipating what the behemoth of a wolf might do to her. But there was amusement in the anticipation—making him wait for what he wanted gave her a little thrill of control that she enjoyed. In a way, this was her way of playing with him, just as he dominated her and tossed her around when he had his way with her, she could toy with him and keep him waiting on every step, every sway of her hips, every breathy word before she gave him what he wanted. There was power in that, the kind Aliana could really get behind.

While she browsed the furs and pelts the trapper was peddling, Chimera caught her off guard with the salaciousness of his remark, speaking as candidly as if he'd had that response loaded up. Despite her banter, Ali felt her cheeks flush with warmth, turning to shoot him a glance with lidded aqua eyes up from over her shoulder. Her fluffy tail swished out and playfully smacked at the man's hip while he came closer, then ever so slowly snaked it up along the inside of his thigh, keeping her motions surreptitious so none would notice but he would definitely feel. "I suppose it's a good thing that I quite like you nestling in my thigh fur then, my handsome king." Ali spoke with a velvety purr to her voice, still studying the furs casually while she flirted in quite an explicit way with her mate, showing little regard for any prying ears. "You know, I'm quite fond of the fur between your thighs too, my love. Especially on those fluffy balls of yours." Aliana flashed Chimera a cheeky grin and flicked her tail against the inside of his thigh once more just for good measure. No harm in keeping her king eager and ready for the trip home, right?

The two browsed the furs for a moment, Aliana selecting some of the softest and coziest furs to furnish their children's rooms with. She hadn't been paying attention to what Chimera was up to until he lifted the leopard blanket and asked if she thought Reila would like it. Ali glanced up at the mention of the rescued slave, seeing Chimera mulling over the fine pelt for her. A little twinge of something she didn't recognize pulled at her insides while she considered his question. Was it jealousy? That was silly though; Aliana had no reason to be jealous of Reila. But then why did the thought of the other woman with Chimera irk her? Was it because she was a total stranger to everyone on the island, and yet Chimera was out here buying her presents and treating her nicely? Ali thought about how Chimera had treated her for the first couple of months she'd been living with them. What a far cry experience Reila was getting. But maybe he'd just mellowed with age. Stuffing those frustrating emotions down, Aliana mused over the fur and nodded. "It is a lovely blanket. I don't know enough about her to say for sure, but I think any wolf would be happy to receive such a nice gift." The Fenmyrian queen pointed out the furs she'd picked for their sons for the trapper to bundle up, then left Chimera to decide on his gift for the stranger and deal with haggling. She sauntered about to the remainder of the stalls with graceful strides of long legs, looking over some of the cooking meats and sweet treats they peddled while she waited for Chimera to catch back up with her, pausing beside a merchant selling exotic liquors and herbs. Maybe she could find some things to use as medicines that weren't native to Auster or Boreas.

"Chimera & Aliana"

The sultry, lecherous woman knew exactly what she was doing by baiting him. She wasn't trying to hide it despite being out in public. Aliana stroked him with the fur of her silken tail and Chimera growled low in her ear at her response regarding the area between her thighs. "It wouldn't matter if you liked it or not, my love." He feigned giving a loving nuzzle to his mate's cheek, but whispered low and hot in one pale ear. "That area belongs to me and I'll do to it what I please, when I please." Chimera's tongue slid up the curve of her ear and he was once again looking at the furs. Her comment about his own thigh fur simply brought a gritty chuckle from the giant. Oh, she was going to get it.

When questioned about the leopard pelt blanket, Aliana seemed to still. Curious. The grey and silver woman seemed to think about it for a moment before stating that she didn't know enough about Reila to make that call, but assumed that any wolf would like the fine pelt. Chimera shrugged. If any wolf would like the pelt, then Reila would surely like it. The leopard blanket was added to the rest of the pile and the trader began packaging it to prepare the items for transport.

The sound of rolling wheels from behind brought Chimera's attention away from Aliana. Gem, Meg and Roc had arrived, the big male mastiff pulling one of the smaller carts behind him. The two-toned beast nodded to his dogs and the pair of bitches proceeded to move from stall to stall, collecting the purchases that their master and mistress had made. Chimera placed the huge pack of furs onto the cart himself, then moved off to rejoin his queen.

The next stall was one of treats and Chimera had little interest in that, though he did purchase a pack of honeyed meat for his army of sons to share. Back at Aliana's side, the Fenmyrian king pressed his well muscled form against her side, once again snuffling in the fur at the back of her crown. "Is there anything else that my queen wishes to buy from this place?" He was patient, willing to allow his woman her day of fun. He was also incredibly eager to get her alone out in the wild so that he could show her just how much he appreciated her constant teasing.

"Chimera & Aliana"