Shadi had grown tired from the trip, but the cool air kept her head up and her mind sharp and fresh... Having something to do other than sit locked up in her bedroom was like to save her life, and feeling needed again was... more than she could describe.  She needed this, even though she was positive it... it was going to hurt at first, to suckle another woman's child... But she had milk and love to spare, why shouldn't she give it to a babe who needed it?

After all, the child had done naught to wrong her... And if she could help her childhood friend's own child, wasn't she obligated to? Especially the child of her rightful lord as long as she lived here... He was offering her a home, more than good pay... Even the tax man was lucky to make more than a pawfull of gold in his day, let alone an hour... She knew no doubt that the lord would take most of it back in 'food and accommodations', but even without that... She would be better for it... And maybe when she was done, and he sent her away, she could afford to help her father with their manor, and have somewhere more private built for her to live elsewhere... 

"That's it... took us long enough..." The old otter woman riding beside her grunted, the fat, grey horse she was astride grunting, as if agreeing with her. She looked as tired as the horse did, both of them looking about ready to fall over as the new day slowly crept up on the night sky. They rode through the splendid gates, just as the stars began to fade, and the edges of the world began to take on a dark pink color, signaling that the morning was not far off.  They had made it before sunrise. 

She swallowed, the huge estate folding out before her very eyes, the magnificent manor on the horizon rising up like something from a fantasy story book from her childhood... The walls were high, and torches ran along their length, each one held aloft by one of the dozens of watchmen standing high above on the stone fortifications. She could see slits in the walls for arrows, along with some dark looking crevasses on the underside of the gatehouse. She knew them as murder holes, and the thought of what they could spill down on the lord's foes made her shudder.

The house ahead of them was just as grand as she had always imagined. The last time she had been to the grand Manor, she had been young, barely a teenager to farewell lord Carcer and his son as they rode off to the Pope's crusade. Women had wept and given knights silk handkerchiefs and other tokens to take into battle with them. But when she had at last caught sight of the young boy she had used to run and play with, he had looked miserable, like he knew he wouldn't be coming back. She and him both had seen more than their share of knights riding to the crusades, never to return. They had waved at each other as he had ridden away, dressed in his finest robes, polished armor gleaming. Already a Ser, and he was only seventeen when she had watched him ride away.

Her cheeks burned slightly, wondering and thinking about the boy she'd once ran chores with... Her first kiss too, if she remembered correctly... which she did, of course... It was a pity his family had left. If they hadn't, it was likely she would have been promised to him when he came of age, but then the Pope had called his crusade, and her first taste of love had ridden away on a gleaming stallion. In the time he was gone, her father had already promised her to the eldest of the Rousell brothers. A measure of years passed, and slowly, she forgot the many tailed fox that had charmed her in her youth, and he was replaced with the presence of Ulric, the eldest brother of the Rousells. He was tall, handsome, but it took a long while for her to warm to him...

They had been sweet together, and while the love wasn't there to begin with, it had grown as they had spent time together. Ulric had been sweet and tender with her, like Isiat had been, and they had consummated their love before their wedding, much to their parents shame... But he had been gentle with her, and afterwards, they had laid by the river, and talked of their future together. Ulric had been commanded by his father to ride to the crusades with him to repent. Jerusalem was said to be the place any man could go to erase his sins, and the Rousells had always held a strong faith. He had kissed her as he too had ridden away on a shining black stallion, but unlike Isiat, he never returned from his quest. A week later, she had found out she was with his child. And that had been the end of it as far as her father was concerned. He had flown into a fit of rage, and demanded she marry Ulric the moment he returned...

Isiat had returned shortly before her lover had left, and they had met briefly at a formal dinner, but no words had been spoken between them, just a sad look as Isiat's wife hung off his arm, speaking about how happy she was he had returned to her at last. Their firstborn was there as well, the young lordling looking as bored as Isiat did...

And he looked much older than he had been when he left. The vulpine had aged considerably in the five years he had been absent. The scruff on his chin was long, almost a beard of sorts, but his eyes still had the brilliant blue sparkle to them, and the passionate fire that had made her so enthralled with him when she was so young. He was still a brilliant specimen of a male, but he had come at a poor time for her, and she had hardly paid attention to him at the dinner, to focused on spending what time she could with her future husband.

Then a raven had come on dark wings, bearing the news of her lover's fall in battle, alongside his father. Shadi had locked herself in her room for days, the heavily pregnant feline mourning her loss, panicking about the future of her soon to be born child. Her family would not allow the bastard to remain with them. It was 'below' her father, who prided his purity of lineage.

But Shadi knew that was all simply her father being to prideful, just like his own father before him... The Rousell's were mixed breed Amasii, and her betrothed had been a very handsome man indeed... Isiat was also a mongrel breed, but if talk in town was anything to go by, he was a gorgeous man to behold... It had been a long time since she had seen the male in person...

Lost in thought, she hadn't taken notice of them riding up the front of the house until a pair of large, wooden doors loomed up before her, the imposing archway easily two floors high. And before her, already arrived before her, Stood Parker, the black armored dragon offering up a paw to help Shadi down from her steed. She slid from the saddle with a delicate squeak, her feet landing lightly on the tiled porch.

The doors swung open, and from the well-lit interior, came the lord of the manor, garbed in fine silk clothes, a long flowing cape trailing from his shoulders, his house sigil emblazoned upon the thick fabric.

Isiat was surprised when Sir Parker returned with the youngest of the Stryker girls, Shadi. He took a moment to examine her, thinking back to what his maid had told him. She had had her child snatched from her paws not more than a day ago, and yet, here she stood, ready to take in his own child to help him. Even if he ordered her to, it was the fact that she had come, and from what Parker had told him as soon as he had arrived, willingly as well. The sudden loss of his thought chain did not make him forget his formalities, however. Bowing low, he extended a paw, taking one of her delicate paws in his own and raising it to his lips, placing a soft kiss open her warm fur.

Shadi's cheeks reddened farther when he kissed her paw, warming her chilled body through. He seemed... very sad at his home life, she imagined it would be hard for him to have a wife who had rejected his young... and what a horrible woman she must be... The rumors she had heard were enough to make one feel spiteful towards the woman.

Isiat was a tall, looming figure, dark and exciting, despite the obvious fatigue in his voice.  She went pink in her nose, looking him over. No one had exaggerated the male's good looks, or his intimidating nature... His fur was sleek, his hair shining and black... His eyes had not changed, had not lost the intelligent, curious gleam he's always had... his face had just become... sharper, worldly and knowledgeable. 

"Lady Stryker, It is my honor to welcome you to my home, but you will understand if I keep introductions short, my daughter has yet to feed as my Bitch..." He frowned, using one of his choice words for his wife. "...Has refused to feed her from her own bosom, and thus why I have called you here. I am sorry for your own recent loss, but I find myself in a time of dire need... She will not stop crying..." The vulpine spoke softly, the bags beneath his eyes evident, just as was his tiredness. He had already been up almost an entire day as it was, and the night before her arrival...

Though Shadi was... Much more grown than when he had last seen her... That had been well before he had set off for the holy land, and she had grown much from the young girl he had used to play with back in his golden days. She was much more full bodied now, and had grown into her womanhood... Very nicely, for that... Her breasts were large, her hips were broad, and her figure was plump and curvy, and Isiat felt his eyes wandering for longer than they should have in places no gentleman ought to stare.

"Might I say... You look... Quiet stunning... It has been far too long, I'm glad you have come, but please, there will be time to talk and reminisce soon, but first Emma require your uh... Motherly skills..." He chuckled, unsure just how to say what he needed to say, but hoping that she would catch his meaning.

"Isiat... I would give everything I have to see to the health of any child of yours.  I am at your service, my lord. I would not let a child starve... I have... I have plenty to give... Show me to her, and I will see to her..." She could hear the infant's wailing already, and it was tearing her heart to shreds, fresh tears wetting her eyes. She blinked them back fiercely, determined not to cry in front of him, lest he think of her as little more than a broken woman.

A gentle paw on her shoulder told her Amerill had padded up beside her, offering her comfort in what way she could... "Yes, lets see to this baby, hmm? How exciting!" The otter woman tried to take Shadi's mind from the situation. The maid's wrinkled eyes twinkled when she took in Isiat, as if she, too, could see what a good looking male he was... his children were going to be beautiful, she knew without a doubt.

Isiat smiled a broad, charming smile when Shadi spoke, her voice just as silky and smooth as he remembered it being all those years ago. His many tails flickered back and forth. "Hunter is still asleep, so we will need to try and keep quiet. Emma is upstairs... When she was born, she didn't make so much as a peep, just looked around at the world with wide, bright blue eyes... It was only after her mother refused to feed her that she started crying almost non-stop..." The male spoke with a soft, saddened tone, as he guided Shadi up the large stairway.

The infant's wailing only grew louder as they approached her crib, the small, two tailed, red-furred Keynari an image of her mother, with her father's eyes. They were that same glacial blue that shone with intelligence and curiosity. Isiat reached into the crib slowly, picking the crying child up in his arms. She silenced instantly, though she still made choking sobs, the little infant looking around, and upon spotting Shadi, she made vague flailing motions towards the female and her... Potential meal.

Isiat simply chuckled softly, leaning his head down and kissing her forehead, before he turned, presenting the child for Shadi's inspection. "Here... This is Emma... Emma, this is Shadi.." The infant simply kept making it's flailing grabby motions, squeaking in protest, and rather utterly ignoring her father.

"I uh... Believe she is seeking your attention..." He chuckled, gently handing Shadi his first daughter with all the care in the world. 

"Oh, she is beautiful... and she is so certainly yours isn't she?" Her eyes were wide and watery as Isiat passed his precious newborn into her arms, her chest nearly splitting open with the flood of emotions that were filling her small form, the emptiness in her sore heart feeling both soothed and aggravated... This child wouldn't replace her own daughter, but damn... it felt so good, so right to have that little body pressed against her-

"So... How have you been these past years? The crusades were.... Long, full of sand, but my father is lord of over five hundred men, and just as many acres of land there outside of Jerusalem... But it was... Not an experience I would wish to return to..." He mumbled quietly, motioning the little feline across to the rocking chair that he had gotten for his wife to nurse their firstborn in, but that she never had used...

Shadi frowned, leaning forward to open her maw, dragging the child's sweet scent over the glands in her muzzle and through her nose, analyzing her scent as she looked her over. "Sire... She is... she is very thin..." Even her paw that was gripping at her own felt bony, whereas even as young as her own baby had been, she'd been fat and healthy... Isiat's child was... malnourished if nothing else... How long had that woman not been feeding her?

"Why hadn't you called for someone sooner- sir?  If she hasn't been being fed, I should have been called sooner, even before, I could have taken on two..." Shadi was frowning at the squealing little girl, and without thinking, yanked down the strap of her dress, her large, firm breast popping free as she made herself comfortable in the rocking chair, quickly bringing the infant to her chest.

Utter silence came from the child, nothing but warm huffs of air through her nose as she latched on to her surrogate mother's nipple.  "They say you know it's a good meal if it's eaten in silence..." She cooed to the child, as if Isiat was not there at all... Her paw was cradling the child to her breast tenderly lovingly, her eyes shining with her loss... but with a renewed sense of purpose.  She was already falling in love...

She turned a deep red, and tried not to look up at the male who was watching her... She'd known what she was doing, but now that the child was eating, and there wasn't a sense of urgency... this felt... sort of awkward...

Isiat tried to avert his eyes... He tried to... He really did, it was impolite to stare... But when her dress fell down slowly from her top to reveal the subtle, warm round flesh of her breast, his eyes rounded like saucers. The vulpine's tails rapid back and forth flickering became an utterly un-disguisable blur almost, as obvious and undisguisable as was the way his eyes unashamedly drank in her bountiful bosom.

He blushed hotly and turned his muzzle away, finally succeeding in averting his gaze the longest moment after his daughter had begun to feed quietly, the little child nursing from Shadi as though she were her own mother. Isiat silently hoped that bitch had taken his words of sleeping in the kennels literally. For all the trouble she had put his daughter through, just to get her first proper meal, she deserved it.

\After a moment, he finally spoke, eyes still looking down at the tiled floor. "Yes... She... She is very beautiful... Her mother's no doubt, but those eyes... So bright and full of life, much like your own, but that kind of lightness and intensity is only found in my own species... The Tu'jah's sapphires, we call them..." He explained, referring to his daughters brilliant, icy blue eyes, that matched his own as if they were one in the same.

"I would have called for a wet nurse sooner, but I was hoping I could still convince my wife to give up her vanity for the sake of her daughter. I struck her for the notion, hence why she hasn't graced us with her presence." He nodded resolutely, clearly sure he had made the right call. "The child should have always been her priority, and it was for Hunter... She was thrilled with our son, but afterwards, she worked tirelessly to hone her figure... And now it is all she will think about, even over her own daughter... It sickens me, it truly does..." The vulpine shook his head, slowly pacing back and forth across the room, before he finally settled into a crouch beside the nursing feline.

"I think she likes you.." He chuckled quietly, motioning to the hungrily suckling infant. "She hadn't eaten since she was born, and that was two nights ago... The medicae gave her some water and very thin cow's milk, but she refused it for the better part, simply cried for her mother, who simply shouted at me when I asked her why she did not go to her daughter..." He sighed quietly, looking up at the feline in the chair. "So, you would do this for me? I am in your debt for saving my daughter's life... It is more than I can say for my own wife." He managed a half-sort of wry smile, seeing the warm, pleased glimmer in the felines oddly mismatched eyes that twinkled in the glow of the firelight from the torches and the hearth.

"I... I understand my lord... I can't imagine not taking a sweet gift such as a child and refusing to mother it, even in the barest sense..." She said quietly, looking down at the sweet child in her arms.  The black fur of the child's head was silky soft under her thumb, and she felt so little and warm in her arms... a perfect fit, like most babies were... She would fatten up in time, Shadi would make sure of that...

The little female was simply beautiful, the red fur silky and new... She stared at Shadi as she nursed, her eyes glittering with the trust of an infant, soft swallowing noises all she could utter, so ravenous was the child's hunger.  The feline's heart melted as the child stared at her, so focused for a baby...  Shadi had a lot of love to give, without her own baby to give it too... at least here, she had a way to focus her feelings and emotions in a more... productive way...  if Isiat hadn't called her, she would still either be screaming against her bedroom door, or sobbing in her bed...

"I am glad you called me, sire... I have plenty to give her- your son too, if you'd like me to teach him and care for him as well... I am well read, I can ride..." Shadi talked because she didn't want this whole thing to become awkward again... he was a very handsome, very married man, and things like this could very rapidly get out of paw, as Shadi had come to know... Male's in the presence of an undressed female had little control of their inhibitions...

"If... if you and your lady wife could find use for me... I would gladly be of service to you.  I've nothing left at home, and after everything..."  She didn't have to say that having a bastard child made her a spinster, no man would take her now. She had very little hope save for her highborn status of marriage. She was a virgin no more, and nor was she from the wealthiest family... This male might have been her final hope for some kind of high placement within society, as her father's standing was going rapidly downhill with his finances.

"That would be... Much appreciated... The little lord does need to work harder with his reading... He knows the letters and numbers, but still has trouble with his maps and the names of the lords and their houses." The Vulpine nodded thoughtfully, his tails curling around the base of the rocking chair as the feline tenderly nursed his daughter, the young pup still suckling hungrily. "He is... stubborn about his teachers, and his watchers often find themselves becoming the victims of his mischief."

"I am... Not as sure as for what uses my wife would find for you, and I shudder to think that she would put you to work like a common slave girl... No, she will have no say over your actions, and I will see to it that all of the guards of the manor know it as well." He nodded firmly after a moment, summoning over one of his pages from the corridor outside and giving the boy instructions to write it all down, the ferret skittering away just as quickly. Isiat had growled at him for just flicking his eyes towards the nursing feline and his daughter.

Little Emma however, seemed quite content to remain at the teat that had been offered to her, and Isiat swore he could see her little belly widening beneath the blankets tossed around her, the little glutton. Though it brought a smile to his face, just security in the knowledge that at least now she would live, rather than starving due to her mother's vanity. No child deserved that kind of fate, least of all a lord's daughter... Least of all his daughter.

"She is very sweet... So much unlike her -darling- mother, who is always so upfront about her opinions... If it please you, and if you feel you can walk while she uh... Feasts..." The vulpine stammered, blushing and turning his head again, unsure of how to... properly word that like a gentleman. He wasn't sure there was a way.

"I can show you to her nursery. It is the next room down, and then as for your own quarters, the spare bedrooms are numerous, and you may have your choice of them, but the largest is at the opposite end of the hallway, and has its own bathrooms and a large hearth... You will be responsible for waking the children each morning, dressing them, and making sure they are fed, both of them. Hunter is a fussy eater. If he refuses to eat what you make him, give it to the dogs, and try again at lunch. He will learn eventually..." He spoke, raising himself to his feet, and extending a paw to Shadi.

"If you are ready..." He smiled, helping her carefully from the rocking chair and to her feet, leading the feline out by her paw... Her touch was still as soft and gentle as he remembered it always being...

At the end of everything, Shadi had insisted on a small cot being rolled in to Emma's room, so she could be close to the infant.  Many new babies died in the night when they were left on their own, crib death, they called it... Shadi was taking her new task at making sure her old friend's daughter grew healthy with life to heart, because it was all she had anymore... Her things were then deposited, not into the nice room he had offered her, but in the small bedroom that rested between Emma's nursery and Hunter's bedroom.  It was tiny, but she would rest better knowing that if she ever had to be in her bedroom, she would still hear the children if they needed her...

Isiat left her once she was settled and Emma sleeping peacefully, a belly ful of milk tiring the small vulpine out. He kissed his daughter goodnight just as the sun was coming up... They all retired after that, and got some much needed sleep, safe in the knowledge Isiat's daughter would be in good health again soon... Her cot wasn't horribly comfortable, but she was more comfortable being out of her home than anything else...

She thought perhaps Emma's wailing would wake her up- or perhaps the gentle call from Isiat or one of his staff... but instead, the odd, burning feeling of being stared at very, very intently is what dragged her out of her slumber over the course of the night, the feline grumbling softly as her dreams melted away... and the feeling of being watched persisted...

Shadi's rest until morning was... restless, to say the least, and the feeling of being watched gave her some strange nightmares of men in black coming to steal away her child, but each time they did, a white knight she knew to be Isiat came and drove them off... Perhaps being so close to the male she had once felt so fondly for was having a positive effect on her? At least she didn't have any true nightmares, like the incessant wailing of a child the Shadi had taken from her paws as they carried her daughter away.