Page 42 of Fox of Fox Hall

“Liar,” Fox chided, but preened inside at therough note in Conall’s voice.

“Never had sweeter,” Conall insisted, no lessrough. “Domvoda…” he paused, and of whatever he might have said,chose to murmur only, “is a fool for giving you up.”

Fox lay still and quiet while that warmed him,then turned abruptly, giving Conall no warning or chance to pullback.

“You’re very chatty for someone who has atournament to win in the morning,” he observed. “I seem to recallyou having no problem falling asleep the last time I was in yourbed. Are you worried about the tournament and what others mightsay?” Fox wouldn’t have considered that before, the Dragonslayerfeeling fear over something like malicious courtiers, but Conallhad remarked on how others saw him, so clearly it did bother him.Maybe not as much as it might bother someone else, but Conall heardand remembered. The other byr had gleefully shared that this waslikely to be Conall’s last tournament, his final chance to bepublicly recognized for his skills and abilities outside of thesong he detested. He would have heard that too.

Conall’s tail landed over Fox’s hips, a nice,steady weight. “Perhaps I’m too excited, thinking of my prize.”

Fox did not think he was speaking of the money.“Roll over,” he said, breathless again.

The moment Conall obeyed, his silencesignificant enough to mean he had questions, Fox scooted in tocurve his body around Conall’s, his chest to Conall’s back. Hereached over Conall’s bulk to find Conall’s cock and didn’t wasteany time pretending he wasn’t going to stroke him off.

“So you will sleep,” he bit out against Conall’sshoulder. “And then win.”

“And claim my prize,” Conall replied around aquiet groan. “Should I consider myself as having the Fox’sfavor?”

“Shut up,” Fox smiled into his skin, “or you’llhave my favor all over your back before too long.”

Conall’s answer was another low groan and therestless smack of the tip of his tail over Fox’s side as Foxpleasured him.

When Fox stirred again, the room was dark butthe window offered enough light to tell him the sun was thinkingabout rising. Conall was a large outline moving soundlessly throughthe room, not so much as stubbing a toe on Fox’s trunks as heprepared for his day.

He must have already removed any armor or toolshe might need from the room and would probably go downstairs tobathe before getting dressed, leaving Fox to sleep.

Fox debated calling to him or getting up tooffer him a kiss for luck, but uncertainty kept him silent. Hewatched Conall head to the door, then stop at the small table totake something. Conall was gone in the next second, shutting thedoor behind him without a sound in that way of his.

Fox closed his eyes again, chiding himself overthe lost opportunity for another kiss, although any kiss betweenthem might have turned into more, which would not have helpedConall. It was best that Fox had stayed still and let Conall stealthe lock of his hair before going on his way.

Fox sat up to blink into the darkness.

Conall had taken a lock of his hair.

There were several possible reasons for someoneto do that, but only one that made sense forConallto do.It was the first day of the King’s Tournament… of Conall’sfinalKing’s Tournament, and favors were said to bring goodfortune. Conall had even mentioned them the night before. He’d beenthinking of them, even if he hadn’t asked Fox for one.

Fox had seen favors handed out by byr, andoccasionally by a maid or gardener or stable hand, to grant luck totheir chosen knight. Mostly bits of cloth or ribbon, but oftenlocks of hair meant to be worn close to the heart.

He pulled the pillow from beneath his head so hecould wrap his arms around it and hide his face in the top. Then hemade all the sounds he wanted to make while his tail swished wildlyabout and his cheeks grew hotter.

Fifteen forever for one knight who had no ideawhat he’d done.

ChapterEighteen

The tournament grounds were glorious to behold,even to Fox. Banners and pennants were bright and brilliant in thesunshine. Armor gleamed as knights moved, their weapons sparklinglike distant water. Byr found seats or strolled about to visit withfriends, taking their time so that all might see their clothes madeof costly fabrics and the glitter of jewels falling from their hairor tails.

People laughed and cheered in all directions,many of them enjoying wine or ale despite the early hour and therising heat. Somewhere not far away, someone was roasting meat.Children were underfoot, fighting with play swords and very likelysneaking into tents. Fox would have done the same as a child if atournament like this had ever happened near his village.

To one side of the wide swath of land nowteeming with spectators, knights, and the servants who assisted theknights was a vast field, empty for the moment except for stakesbeing used as boundary markers. Fox didn’t want to think of theevent set to take place there the following day—the massivemock-battle that would lead to more injuries than anyone would everadmit to. He kept his attention on the series of circles andsquares delineated by more boundary markers, multicolored clothstrips fluttering from each stake to indicate where each eventwould happen.

Long lanes ending in straw barriers were forarchery displays or perhaps knife or axe throwing. Squares of mudand dirt generally meant events involving horses, where knights hadalready torn up the ground in practice runs. Some of the sites forsparring seemed to be set up on grassy portions of land and somedidn’t for reasons Fox could only guess at.

There was not much seating provided. Many nobleshad paid for benches to be built for them. Commoners were not givenany seating, but in deference to the heat, large lengths of blue orred cloth had been strung up between poles to provide shade foranyone who needed it. Seeing that made Fox feel foolish forbringing his personal shade, although he wouldn’t have needed itwhere he was. He possibly also would not need to worry about hismeals for the day, which he hadn’t realized he was until thatmoment. In past years, he had never had to doubt where he would beor what would be offered to him, although he had still never beenseated in the king’s box as he was now.

Fox peered around rather than look at anyoneelse in the box. A few enterprising business owners from the areahad tables to sell cakes or beer. There were also tents filled withanything the byr might ask for. There was even a kitchen tent,although that was mostly for the knights who would be staying outin the fields and who would need more than cakes to keep theirstrength up.

Farther away from the color and chaos of theevent grounds, some of the knights had built tents and temporarystables to provide the horses with shade and some peace. Manyknights would sleep out there tonight. Fox wasn’t sure the groundwas completely dry, but also didn’t think that would stop any ofthem. It was a waste of energy to ride back and forth when mostwould be exhausted by the end of the day and only have another longday ahead of them.

Fox didn’t know if Conall planned to stay in thefields tonight. He hadn’t thought to ask and would probably get nochance to. He had been seated in the back corner of the king’s box,which was either an honor or an insult. Fox had stood outside thebox, in the shade but nonetheless standing, in previous years, evenback when Domvoda had been regularly fucking him. Now he had hisown chair, and though he was behind everyone, he was still closeenough to the king that Domvoda could turn and speak to him if hewished.

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