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Chapter Text

I serve the House of Hopps. None shall harm my charge.

Two raccoons, a wolf, a weasel and a fox charged into the main station of the constabulary. They were known ruffians from the area, members of a gang, led by a cruel and cunning grizzly bear. Each had a price on their heads for assault, murder, robbery and other unsavory crimes.

The thugs threw down their arms and threw themselves at the feet of the desk sergeant and other officers, begging to be protected. It took the stunned officers of the law a moment before they realized who was in front of them. As soon as they did, they pounced.

I serve the House of Hopps. None shall harm my charge.

As the officers manacled and muzzled the thugs, the door opened again. It admitted a sight that bewildered the officers further and set their teeth on edge. It was a red fox. A very red fox. He was dressed immaculately in the attire of a House servant and his chest bore the coat of arms for a high family and a member of the House of Lords.

I serve the House of Hopps. None shall harm my charge.

The fox’s face was set in an easy, disarming smile. His eyes were half-lidded emeralds that glinted in the lamplight. He was the epitome of poised grace and cool aplomb. He was drenched in blood.

The constables detaining the mammals in chains felt their new charges tense and shudder. The smell of urine drifted on the air as one of the racoons began to whimper. Several constables began to surround the bloodied vulpine, pulling truncheons as they moved.

I serve the House of Hopps. None shall harm my charge.

The fox stepped to the side and bowed slightly, holding the door ajar. An opulently dressed, matronly rabbit glided past him and addressed the assembled officers. “Excellent! You’ve captured the scum that threatened my family. Do your duty and arrest them. We shall wait.”

The moose wearing lieutenant’s bars stepped forward, his hoof still on his weapon. “Who are you, madam, to give us orders?”

“She is my wife and speaks with my authority,” came the response, as another rabbit puffed his way unsteadily into the room assisted by a pair of smaller rabbits and followed by several more. One of which was quite obviously an adult, with grey fur, black-tipped ears and possessed of striking violaceous eyes. She trailed along at the back, herding the stragglers of what had to be her siblings.

“Lord Hopps!” The uniformed mammals scrambled to salute, or haul the thugs off to the cells as quickly as they could. A member of the House of Lords was present. That changed things materially.

The lieutenant scrambled over. “My lord! What’s happened? That fox is-“

“That fox” Mrs. Hopps interrupted, “is our butler and, in this evening’s case, our savior. Your concern is touching, but unnecessary.” At that, the Hopps matron turned away and left the floundering constable in the care of her equally floundering husband. He would handle the uniformed oaf well enough.

She turned to the vulpine in her family’s livery and he moved to the customary position before her. His back was ramrod straight, eyes soft and straight forward, smiling with his paws clasped behind his back. “Nicolas, you are a mess.”

“Indeed, I am, Madam. My apologies. A bear was inconsiderate in where he bled,” the fox replied.

Bonnie Hopps very obviously raised an eyebrow at her servant’s attempt at humor. “This will not do, Nicolas.” She said as she procured a large purse from about her person. “You will remand yourself to the nearest guesting house of repute and clean yourself up. I expect you to be back at the manor tomorrow noon.”

“I understand, Madam.”

“Good. Now, take this and go tend to yourself. We will deal with this mess.”

“As you say, Madam.”

She placed the purse in his paw and he turned to go. None of this was missed by the young, violet-eyed doe. Nor was the fight her mother had to keep her mouth from quirking up at the fox’s humor. Nor was the concern in her mother’s eyes at his state. Nor was the way her mother’s paw gripped the fox’s for a heartbeat, before she turned away and he departed.

Judith Hopps missed very little of the exchanges that night, including the one twenty minutes beforehand, in an alley less than a mile from where they now stood. The exchange started when her family was surrounded by predators and menaced into the alley. They all knew what was about to happen. Robbery was a common enough occurrence and the pattern seldom changed. No resistance meant no harm. The fact that a Lord was attacked would mean that the thugs would be found and punished severely the next morning. As long as they kept to the script, there would be no surprises.  

Then, the grizzly bear who was obviously the leader changed the game, as it were, by grabbing one of the kits. Before Judith could react, she was shocked silent as their heretofore unimpressive butler, the fox, stepped forward.

“Kindly release the kit and take the coin. No one needs to be hurt.”

Her father was already swooning and the other kits were cowering between the wall at their backs and her and her mother’s skirts. She was a lady, but she knew the uses of a hatpin and bodice dagger as well as any lady could. Unfortunately, she couldn’t move with so `many little paws gripping her skirts. All she could do was look on in growing fear as the fox talked down his muzzle to a bear dozens of times his size.

“What did you say, fox?”

“I believe you have functioning ears, so I’m sure you heard me. I doubt you understood the words, though. You are rather stupid to assault this family.”

The bear goggled for a moment before snarling and leaning into the fox’s face. The fox, in turn, didn’t budge from his place between the bear and the rabbit family. The bear held the struggling kit up to the fox’s face and growled, “Say that again.” Making his threat abundantly clear.

The fox blithely smiled in turn. “It wouldn’t help you understand any better. Besides, I have what I want.”

“And what is that, besides an early grave?” the bear sneered.

The fox leaned in and whispered, “Your paw that close to me.”

The bear screamed.

The kit was plucked from the air and plopped into Judith’s arms in one smooth motion as the mammoth ursine lost the ability to use his paw. Then, many things happened at once. Stuart Hopps, First Lord of Bunnyburrow, Landholder with the rank of Earl, many times knighted member of the government, fainted. Bonnie Hopps, his wife, pulled as many of the kits as she could behind her and dropped, making herself as low and out of the way as possible. The ruffians looked to their leader as he clamped his one functional paw over his bleeding wrist. Judith cradled her sobbing sister and dropped, like her mother, but facing the bear, so she could defend herself and her family.

The sight that met her eyes made her world stop for a moment. The butler she had known since she was a kit wasn’t there anymore. The butler she knew was a punching bag. He was a ridged, boring staple of her daily life; an unimpressive, mildly sarcastic nuisance that could serve tea and be ignored, or abused, as she chose. Not once in the eighteen years she’d had to put up with him had he even so much as raised his voice in her presence.

The mammal in front of her was not the bastion of placid, servile civility of her acquaintance. Mr. Wilde was not an imposing presence, like the mammal in front of her. He was not intimidating. He never spoke above a well-mannered droll.

In the center of the chaos, this Mr. Wilde’s voice cut through the clamor. “You should have just taken the coin.”

The bear gathered himself and spat back, “Whoever you are, you’re dead!” And moved to attack.

As Judith watched, a second hooked dagger appeared in Mr. Wilde paw as he uttered, “I serve the House of Hopps. None shall harm my charge.” And the fox moved.

Judith watched as the stiff-necked irritant she’d known and loathed for so many years danced inside his massive opponent’s reach with a speed and grace that put the ballet to shame and proceeded to take him apart. If she’d been told before that evening that her butler could harm a gnat, she’d have laughed. Now, she watched, stunned, as the enigmatic, red-furred servant efficiently slashed, stabbed and pounded their attacker into a pile of cowering fur.

As the rest of their assailants fled in terror, Judith helped her mother collect her siblings and her father, while Mr. Wilde stood guard. As they made their way to the police station, Judith couldn’t help but wonder about her family’s butler and what other secrets he hid behind that calm facade.

I serve the House of Hopps. None shall harm my charge.

Chapter Text

Judith's day had not been an easy one. She woke early after a night of many interruptions. The siblings who had accompanied her and her parents to the city had suffered nightmares since their ordeal and she was the one they turned to for comfort. It was a duty she was happy to perform, but it came at a price measured in hours of sleep lost.

Her morning was not terrible, aside from the arrival of her latest potential suitor for a marriage interview. Marcus von Lop was a pompous, obnoxious blowhard who inspected her much as her father would inspect a piece of farm equipment or a breeding turkey. He might well have thought of her in those very terms, as he felt no compunction about trying to test the feel of her. His departure to the Triburrows Hospital for treatment shortly thereafter did little to lessen the cloud her day seemed to carry, as her parents were both put out with her.

"It was a smart match, Judith!", Lord Stuart Hopps fumed, as he wore a rut in the carpet of the parlor with his pacing.

"Smart for whom? Your business, or my dignity?", Judith replied, tartly.

"His family is wealthy, landed and prosperous. You would have been comfortable for the rest of your life! What possessed you to harm him?"

"Aside from attempting to run his paws all over me?"

Lady Hopps gasped, "He didn't!"

"He's known to be a nervous shedder.” Judith replied, gesturing to her garments. “I know my fur is grey, so why do I have muddy brown hairs all over my skirts? You might find some in my petticoats, if you care to search."

Stuart thundered, "I can't believe it. That scoundrel!", before storming off.

Bonnie sighed as she watched him leave. "And there he goes. At least he'll put that influence of his to good use. Now, Judith, sit down and try to forget that... let's have some tea."

So saying, she rang the bell. A few minutes later, the butler arrived. The fox was the same as he always was: smug, aloof and boringly efficient at his job. However, Judy's awareness of him was not as it had been. In the days since returning home, her awareness of his presence was acute. He was no longer a piece of furniture in her reality. He was a mystery and one thing Judith Hopps could not abide was a mystery.

Her interest did not go unremarked by her mother. As soon as the insouciant vulpine departed the room with his instructions, Bonnie turned to her daughter and asked, "Are you still so frightened of him, Judith?"

"Frightened of whom?"

"Of Nicolas. You've been distracted every time he's been in the room since we arrived back from Zootopia."

"I'm aware of a predator. That's hardly a surprise."

"It is when you've spent so many years ignoring him. Is the fact that he had claws such news to you?"

"Steel claws, yes. Why is he armed?"

"We'd be fools not to and for exactly that reason that the incident with that gang brought to light."

"We could have protected ourselves."

"No, we couldn't, Judy, and you know it. Without Nicolas’ intervention we would have been robbed at best. Gods only know what else those brigands had planned for us.”

“Be that as it may.” Judith groused, deflating.

“You're dancing around whatever problem you have, Judith. You’ve known he was a predator since you were six and been as vocal as your father about what that has to mean. Speak plainly. What has you so upset?"

Judith was momentarily surprised at the level of her mother’s scorn when mentioning her husband’s position regarding non-prey species. Stuart Hopps was not known for possessing a kindly attitude in that regard. What further discomfited Judith was her mother’s comparison to of her own attitude to his. She was not so cold or unkind to predators, certainly not Mr. Wilde. Was she? She set aside her self-doubts for later reflection and steeled herself. Confronting one’s parent was never a pleasant experience, especially surrounding something so… intimate.

"How long have you been having an affair with him?"

Nicolas paused in the doorway at hearing those words. The moment was golden. Judith's righteous indignity melted into red eared mortification as he announced his presence with a gentle cough.

"Ah! Nicolas! The very mammal. Come here.", Bonnie piped, fighting her amused smile.

"I had no idea you had changed the requirements of my employment, Madam." Nick was gratified as Judith's ears continued to redden visibly.

"Nicolas, restrain yourself.” Then, seeing the glint of mischief in his eyes, Bonnie added, “Not a word." The fox’s jaw snapped shut and he settled back into his usual grinning demeanor. Bonnie suppressed a giggle.

“Now, Nicolas, I’m going to ask you a question and you are going to answer with absolute honesty. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I do. Was that the question?”

“Stop being difficult for a moment. I know it’s a challenge for you, but try to treat this seriously.” Bonnie had to choke back another fit of giggles as the fox’s eyes met hers for a moment. situation was just too ridiculous. Bonnie forcibly composed herself. She had to get the question out and not laugh in the middle of it, otherwise her daughter would get huffy and be unmanageable for days. “Now, Mr. Wilde. Are we now, or have we ever been lovers?”

Nick was likewise visibly struggling with his own self-control. “A question before I answer, if I may, Madam.”, he bit out as he forced the humorous tension in his body down enough to speak. Bonnie nodded sharply. “May I have my laughing fit in a different room, when I’m done?”

Bonnie barely choked her laughter down at the fox’s compounding wit, before she answered, “You may.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Hopps. No, we are not now, nor have we ever been lo-“, Bonnie’s titter set him off and the laughter could no longer be restrained.

Some minutes later, eyes were being dabbed dry with handkerchiefs and the storm of mirth had reduced to intermittent gales of laughter. As Bonnie and Nicolas regained some control of their breathing, the butler of the house managed to clear his throat and breathlessly utter, “No, Mrs. Hopps, we have never been lovers.”

“Do you need to have that laughing fit in the next room, or are you containable for the moment?”, Bonnie inquired, wryly.

“I believe I will manage. Madam.” Nicolas replied with a chortle.

Bonnie then turned to hewr daughter who was pouting openly and blushing so deeply it weas clear through the fur of her cheeks. “Does that satisfy your curiosity, Judith?”

Judith’s caustically indignant reply did nothing to stop the fox’s chucking aftershocks. “Yes. The laughter at my expense made it quite clear.”

“Oh, come now. That was possibly the silliest question I’ve ever been asked and it came from you, of all mammals. What on earth put that idea in your head?”

“I saw the concern in your eyes when you sent him to the guesting house and you squeezed his paw before he departed!”

“As any good employer should be concerned for a servant who put themselves in danger as he had that night. He has been a part of the household for nearly two decades, after all, and he may be a predator, but any mammal would need support after so harrowing an experience.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Hopps. Your consideration knows no bounds.”

“Shush, you. Nicolas, you may go. Thank you for bringing the tea.”

“A pleasure, as always, Madam.” At that Nicolas bowed and departed the room, his grin deeper than usual.

Bonnie poured two cups and collected her own, leaving her daughter’s to be collected when the young doe stopped pouting. “Does that allay your fears, daughter?”

“I think it was a reasonable assessment.”

“Good grief, Judy, with as many siblings as you have, one would think you’d know how sated your father keeps me.”

“Mother!”

“You started this conversation, my dear. If you were unprepared to endure a conversation centering on the sexual aspects of your parent’s married life, you should have been more circumspect in your investigations.” Bonnie grinned over her cup at her daughter, whose mortification was back in full. “Judith, Nick is my personal confidant, acts on the family’s behalf in a number of capacities and is trained as a bodyguard. You know all this.”

“I do now…”

“You knew, but never realized it. Was seeing him fight such a shock to your sensibilities?” Judith’s shocked and guilty expression was all the answer she needed. Her daughter had no artifice to her. It was part of her charm, but also a liability, at times.

“It wasn’t that.”

“Then, what was it?”

“It was like seeing him for the first time.”

“Because he’s a predator?”

“I thought so at first, but no. Yes, he’s a predator and a fox. The fact that he can fight…” The younger rabbit struggled to articulate her thoughts. Her mother was intrigued, as her most vivacious and expressive daughter was never so discommoded. “He’s been a part of the family for almost my entire life. He’s always been Mr. Wilde, the butler. Seeing him in such a violently different light shocked me. It made me wonder what else I don’t know about him. It felt like I didn’t know him at all.”

“That’s hardly a surprise, dear.” Judith’s indignant gasp only drew a raised eyebrow from the Hopps matron. “Tell me. Prior to that evening, what did you know of him? Other than his species, his name and his station, did you know anything?” As her daughter floundered, Bonnie pressed her advantage. “Do you know what he does on his days off? His favorite foods? Who his friends are? Does he read? Does he enjoy the theater?”

Judith sat, shamefaced, staring into her tea cup. “I don’t know any of those.”

“If you know so little, how could you hope to understand why I confide in him, or why I trust him when he is armed around my children? Did you truly think we sent you off so many times all these years with him as your escort because he was a servant? We would never let you travel without an armed escort. You know that. I’m frankly shocked you never out it together before now.”

Some time later, Judith let herself into her small room and plopped onto her bed. She felt an absolute fool. The conversation she had with her mother still rang in her ears. She knew so little and assumed so much based on an attitude she knew was shamefully backward. Her embarrassment only seemed to grow as she delved deeper into her failings with regards to the resident fox.

She needed to sleep. Rest would clarify her mind and help her digest this new set of revelations.

She changed into her nightgown and crawled under the blankets, trying to settle herself. Unfortunately, sleep still evaded her. She was unable to calm her mind and it was some time before she admitted why.

She kept going back over Mr. Wilde and her mother laughing at her in the parlor. It had been embarrassing and in retrospect she deserved it. The idea of her mother bedding the butler was idiotic; a cliché fit for the penny dreadful romance novels she secretly hoarded. However, the discomfort of being the focus of such derision came with an unexpected compensation. For the first time, she witnessed a genuine smile on his face and heard true laughter.

In that brief moment, he looked years younger. His eyes sparkled and the look of joy on his face was jarring. It fit so perfectly, yet looked so alien. She wondered how it was possible that a face so made for joy so often wore a smile that never reached his eyes. The more she thought on it, the more she felt that all she did was give him reason for his mask.

It was a long, uncomfortable night.

Chapter Text

Judith woke unhappy. It wasn’t often she looked too deeply at herself and It was clear to her now that she needed to remedy that in addition to everything else. She had been horrid to Nicolas for years; quite her father’s daughter. The thought of it would have made her proud, once, but now she felt ill for it. She had for weeks.

For her part, Judith had taken her conversation with her mother to heart and was determined to learn more about Nicolas. This was an endeavor he had no interest in assisting. She had made several attempts to learn more about him that he had discerned. Naturally, no one would speak to him directly, but his ears were not for show. Whispers carried in the halls of the burrow and he learned enough to find himself irritated at her actions.

Thus far, she had spoken to a number of ladies’ maids and the cook, as well as all three other predators on staff, regarding him. Thankfully those who knew him had respected his privacy. The rest of what had been told to the young Ms. Hopps was likely whatever rumor they thought she wanted to hear. Nicolas hoped she would be intelligent enough to understand that, but her track record didn’t give him much reason to hope. He thought it more likely she’d simply lose interest. Then, at least things would get back to normal.

What was more vexing was Mrs. Hopps’ indirect support for her daughter’s newfound interest in him. It was uncommon that the scullery maid, Molly, was called upon to act as a dressing assistant, as she was a predator. However, it was only this morning that she had been assigned to help in that very capacity by none other than Bonnie Hopps, herself. The lucky recipient of Molly’s assistance was, of course, Judith. Nicolas was not about to pass judgement on the situation, but he was very aware of it.

Bonnie may have been assisting Judith in her pursuit as an encouragement to foster better treatment for himself and the other predators in the House. That, he would be in full favor of. It was also possible that The Lady of House Hopps was playing a long game and this was just one move in it. Nicolas was well aware of Bonnie’s intelligence and capacity for intrigue. She enjoyed presenting a front similar to his own. Life was much easier when mammals assumed you were a simple rabbit, like your husband. It made them more likely to underestimate you.

Frustratingly, she was also quite subtle, so Mr. Wilde could do nothing but wait and see. He would not be able to measure the depth of her machinations until a number of her moves were known to him. His only hope of getting a handle on the situation lay in discerning enough of her moves early enough that her goal hadn’t already been achieved. More than once he’d found himself neatly corralled by her subtle manipulations. More than once he had incorrectly thought she was attempting to do so. It was possible that Mrs. Hopps was indulging her daughter’s whim and nothing more. She was a very capable opponent, which is why today was such a puzzle for him.

Nicolas Wilde was vexed. He had to put a significant effort into fulfilling his duties as the best of times. Maintaining the cleanliness and order of the massive kitchens alone was a daunting task. It was true that he had a number of mammals who aided him in this task, so his responsibilities were largely managerial. However, a large number of said helpers were prey and disliked him on a basic level. It wasn’t uncommon for Nicolas to be forced into doing many of the lesser tasks, courtesy of the laziness or ill will of another servant. Ultimately, the kitchens were his responsibility, after all.

Thankfully, those of the staff inclined towards such poor behavior were dismissed after a decent interval. While Lord Hopps was bumbling oaf in many respects, he knew mammals and how to manage them. He had no patience for shirkers. Also, his mindset regarding predators did not mean he tolerated the abuse of those few on staff. It wasn’t proper in a House as prestigious as his. Unfortunately, that did little to ease Nicolas’s lot in life.

In addition to Nicolas’ regular duties, Lord Hopps often found small errands, or other tasks for him to complete. He may have been a fox, but that came with certain compensations, in a servant. In a region largely populated by rabbits, sending a fox as a messenger was a statement of power. That led to Nicolas acting in many capacities with tradesmammals and magnates in the Tri-burrows and elsewhere. He was a very well connected fox, after so many years of faithful service. Well-connected and often overworked. This was why Mrs. Hopps took such an interest in assigning him light duties, when she could. Serving tea for her social gatherings, or taking letters to post were not demanding tasks. Nicolas was usually appreciative.

Unfortunately, there were also times, like this afternoon, where that backfired. If a backfire the day actually was. Bodyguarding was theoretically dangerous, but the local constabularies were effective enough that it was surpassingly unlikely that that anything untoward would happen. That being the case, the young Evette was to accompany Judith on her errand, while the apprentice colt in the stable was to take the place of the usual driver.

The day was supposed to entail a small trip for Judith and her sister to a garden party at the house of a notable family, near Podunk; a town as unimpressive as its name, in Nicolas’ opinion. Judith and Evette were to represent the family in their parents’ stead, Nicolas was to chaperone and Elliot was to have his maiden voyage as an unsupervised driver. Lord Hopps was heard to comment that if either of his daughters found a buck that caught their eye, he’d be most pleased. Judith had fumed, while Evette preened the whole way there. Nicolas found their reactions comically polar, though he kept his musings to himself.

The party itself was a non-event, in Judith’s opinion. She spent the entire time chatting with the mindless daughters of the house and avoiding the sons, while her butler hovered at her shoulder. Ironically, he was the one mammal she wanted to speak to, but he was all but impossible to engage. Every time she attempted to, he simpered as his station required and avoided the conversation, or another socially inclined party attendee would interrupt.

For Nicolas, it was lovely. Judith’s discomfiture made her more focused on speaking with him than making the insipid demands he had come to expect from his charges at such events. Evette was too busy buck hunting and most of the mammals in attendance gave him a very wide berth. Everything was going swimmingly until the return trip.

A bandit pack of wolves decided to waylay them on the road. If he was honest, Mr. Wilde had to give them credit. Using the shot of a flintlock to spook the driver was clever. Poor Elliot was probably gone before he even realized what was happening. He was only an apprentice, after all. His training to act as a defender of his carriage was not complete. By this point, he was probably half way back at the manor, Nicolas mused as he trudged along.

He had dealt with the wolves, while his charges had stayed safely hidden in the carriage. Fortunately, none of their lupine attackers had brought a second pistol, so it was a simple matter of introducing them to his steel fangs. A rather less simple matter was dealing with the mess afterwards. Miss Evette had fainted and was therefore dead weight. It was evening and a stranded carriage on the forest road was a sitting target. There was no doubt that a consignment of the Hopps household would be along, but it would be several hours before they arrived. It was already growing late.

It took some convincing to get them moving towards shelter, but only Miss Judith and himself. Evette simply woke briefly in her temporary residence, heard her sister’s voice and nodded off again. Judith was initially hesitant to leave the carriage, but found Mr. Wilde’s reasoning sound. The fact that he knew a shelter not far from there that was in earshot of the road did much to ease her mind. Nicolas was less than happy, however. One of his secrets was no longer his.

The traipse through the woods was relatively easy for him. Usually, it was easier, as in this case he carried one of his charges and aided the other along. Judith was not hesitant for long at taking his offered paw to make the passage easier. A fact that amused the fox. Apparently, his fangs frightened her less, these days.

As they entered the small cave in the hillside, Judith was amazed. These were her family’s lands, but she never imagined such a place existed.

Seeing her wide-eyed wonder, Nicolas couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s merely a small cave, Miss Hopps. Not the royal palace.”

“You must forgive me, good sir. I’ve never been in a cave.”

“Indeed, madam. Most improper.” He commented with a light tease in his tone, as he settled his small, recumbent burden on a dry patch of the floor.

Judith couldn’t help the small smile that formed on her muzzle. “Under the circumstances, I think it’s allowable. I am curious as to how you know about this place.”

There, he became hesitant. It was obvious enough that even she couldn’t miss it. “This was a place I used as an escape of sorts. A sanctuary. When I was young, I came here often.”

At first Judith was unsure of his meaning, but her recent reflections soon came to mind. It was obvious that he had retreated here to get away from his poor treatment. It saddened her that it had come to that. She wanted to say something, but she only got as far as “Mr. Wilde” before he cut her short.

“Miss Hopps, I would request that you stay with your sister, while I keep watch at the cave mouth. I’ll hear any activity from the road. You will be safe until your family arrives.” So saying, he stripped off his outer coat and laid it in her arms. “That should keep you both warm through the night.” Judith could only gape at his back as he left her standing there. She had never been more befuddled.

This time, she had known what to expect when he left the carriage. She could have cowered with her unconscious sister, but something made her peek out. This time, she watched him meet his attackers, not in a panicked stupor, but with curiosity which quickly became entrancement. She had been too stunned the first time she saw him fight to do more than gawk at the fact of it. This time, she watched and what she saw was beautiful. The fox danced with assailants, striking and parrying, exploiting their openings. He moved with an efficiency and grace that mesmerized her, displaying long training and deep commitment to his craft.

When it was done, he carried Evette and guided her, but kept himself between herself and the carnage, shielding her. When he offered her his paw or arm in support, it was always gentle. His soft, strong paws were a vast contrast to her expectations after witnessing the vicious, bloody work they had been used for. He was aware of his strength and how it could unintentionally harm the smaller mammals he served. At every turn this fox surprised her.

The cave was another surprise, both for its location and it’s meaning to her protector. The vulnerability he unwillingly displayed when he confessed why he knew this place was heartbreaking. She knew he had not been made welcome in her family’s home, but this was far worse than she had suspected. He had received no hospitality at all, so far as she could see. Her remorse was stalled, however, as the fox removed his coat.

Underneath the rich, opulent garment was a whole slew of surprises. A fitted shirt over a lean frame, bound by a simple, but refined waistcoat, for a start. She had never seen him in just his shirtsleeves, before. She was momentarily confused at how he had so much muscle, before she made an unconscious comparison to the bucks she’d been acquainted with. An unfavorable one for the bucks. Giddily, she mused it was an oversight she wished she had corrected long ago.

As her eyes ranged over him, many things registered in her mind, which made her set her assessing his musculature to the side. Not the least of which were the paired, curved daggers sheathed at the small of his back framing his tail, or the bracers on his forearms, holding stilettos. With the removal of one garment, he had exposed far more of himself than she had ever imagined possible. It was becoming a theme of her interactions with the fox. A theme she found she desired to continue.

She watched him move back to the mouth of the cave and settle against the wall, to keep watch. There was nothing but dappled moonlight left and little of it past the mouth of the cave. She would be concealed and safe with her sister, while he was illuminated through the night.

Rather than stand and gawk, she elected to sit with her sister, at the least. She huddled down and draped the coat he’d given her across them both. It was a large garment and what Judith considered the showing-off uniform that the servants wore when they accompanied the House in public. The regular set of day clothes was nice enough, but of practical cut and material. When a servant was to be in public they were to wear a uniform of finer make, including richer, thicker fabrics and embroidery. It was no surprise that Nicolas’ coat was quite lush.

What was a surprise lay in the armor panels the fox had sewn into the coat, covering his vital areas and the fastening points that could only be for discrete armaments. As she sat and digested all she had learned in only moments, let alone the rest of the evening, she found herself surrounded in a scent she couldn’t help but grasp as his. It was musk and earthy spice with a floral note that reminded her of her mother’s solarium flowers.

She sat, nestled with her sister and stared. An hour ago he was slipping out to face four wolves with only his knives and his ever-present grin. Now, he sat watchfully in the moonlight, guarding them. She sat and let the reality of the day sink in for a time, before she quietly rose and padded over to the fox.

“Mr. Wilde?”

“Yes, Miss Hopps? I’d offer to get you something to fight the chill, but I’m short a kettle at the moment.”

“That would be welcome, but your coat is more than sufficient in keeping the cold at bay. May I join you, instead? There’s something I wish to say to you.”

Nicolas anticipated the worst. He took a long, deep breath and schooled his features into his eternally present façade. “If madam wishes.”

Judith did little to hide the emotion in her voice as she replied, “Madam does not wish. Judith Hopps requests.”

Nicolas gestured uncertainly to the ground by where he sat. “Very well. I think that patch will be less uncomfortable than most.”

“Most gracious.” Unfortunately, that was as far as she got before faltering.

As usual, the fox came to her aid. She was uncertain how she felt regarding that. “So, what brings you to the cave mouth, Miss Hopps? The view is drab even to me and I have decent night vision. I can only imagine how unimpressive it is to you.”

“What I see is what leaves me struggling to speak.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Mr. Wilde, I wish to apologize to you and to thank you.” For the second time in his life, Nicolas was speechless. “I apologize for your poor treatment at my paw. I have not treated you well and, I regret to say, been both cruel and cold to you, entirely undeservedly. I regret that I have been so poorly to you and I hope you will give me the opportunity to do better. My thanks… Mr. Wilde, you have now saved my own life twice at the risking of your own. That is no small sacrifice.”

“Merely my duty, madam. I serve the House of Hopps.” Nicolas managed through his surprise.

“Judith, please, and you serve, but receive little gratitude for it. My mother trusts you. I see now some of why she does. While I have never been kind to you, I wish to change that if you’ll allow me the opportunity. Thank you for protecting me and my family.”

All Nicolas could manage to do was bow slightly, not knowing what to think or say. Judith took that as his acknowledgement of her words and beat a hasty retreat to reclaim her place with her sister. As she settled herself again, she tried not to think about the fox she left stunned mute, sitting across the cave.

For all her acquaintance with him, she could never recall him looking directly at her. She assumed it was his training as a butler, but now she was less certain. Until now, she was sure that if a predator looked at her dead-on, especially a fox, that she’d see the bloodlust in their eyes. It simply wouldn’t do for a butler to panic his employers, so it made sense he would keep a respectful distance in that regard. As she lay huddled beneath his blanket, she understood that her heart raced, but not because of panic, or fear of his predatory nature.

In his stunned state, Nicolas had let the mask fall for a handful of heartbeats. Looking him in the eye, Judith caught a glimpse of the mammal beneath the uniform and the deep well of emotion within him. She saw the hurt, the solitude and the devotion he felt for her family. He hadn’t accepted her apology yet, but she had only offered him words. When they returned home, she needed to prove she meant them. Maybe then, he would share the reason for his devotion. Maybe then, he’d show her more than the one tantalizing glimpse beneath his mask.

She curled up under her protector’s coat and drifted to sleep surrounded by his scent, certain of her safety so long as he stood guard. The morrow was rife with opportunities to learn more and prove herself sincere to him. She thrilled at the prospect as the world faded away.

Chapter Text

Lord Hopps was far less than his usual blithely jovial self, these days. As if his days weren’t taxing enough between managing his estates and position in government, his home, his sanctuary, afforded him nothing but stresses. First and foremost was his daughter, Judith. She was a doe coming on to her twenty fifth birthday and unwed. She wasn’t even engaged and had fewer prospects than ever, after the to-do with the von Lop buck. It was unnatural and embarrassing. Then, there was her unsettling, newfound interest in the butler.

Stuart did not like predators. He had feared them, and really any larger mammal, since his days as a quartermaster in the army. Nothing was quite as terrifying as a tiger, or an elephant in full battledress and that was just when they were in formation. The one battle where their lines were pushed back and Stuart got a real taste of the battlefield never left him. Immediately after that, his next promotion saw him transferred to the main armory at Woolsdale, where he served with distinction, far from anything even close to war.

That pervasive fear, he assured his wife, was as far as it went. He felt no hatred for them, but the atavistic fear he was born with, coupled with his traumas during the wars were enough. They colored every dealing he had with predators from then on. Speaking out against them was excellent political fodder and maintaining the status quo garnered him allies and support in parliament. It also kept them well away from him.

That was how it was, once. Then, his family arranged for him to marry the heiress of a so called “wild” family, hoping it would tame the fire in their wayward bloodline. When he had met his Bonnie, she had seemed the most mannerly and respectable of does. Her soft spot for predators came to light only after they had been married for a few years and he had been uncomfortable since. Now, two foxes, though one barely qualified, a tabby cat and a weasel were employed by his House. If he was strictly accurate, in his wife’s employ.

Compounding his issues were the fact that the wild blood of his wife’s family lived on in a few of their kits, most strongly in Judith. That must have been why Bonnie was so accommodating of her. She doted on those of her kits that showed her family’s character, but the one child that shared her spirit, especially when it came to that fox, was Judith. It had been a mere suspicion for many years, but hearing how Judith had behaved when the house guard had found them was proof positive. One soldier had disparaged the fox for his handling of the situation in the woods and received a vicious tongue lashing from his daughter, only to be reported when they arrived at the manor. Not to him, mind you, but to his wife. That guardsman had been on latrine duty and midnight patrols since then.

One of the bleak truths of Stuart Hopps’ world was that he was a Lord of a House, but not the power of the family. He could handle politics, manage mammals and run the farms, but past that, he was well out of his depth. That was why Bonnie managed the accounts and Household proper, handled most of the intriguing other than the lines he needed to speak and why the predators lived on in their employ directly under her. Him they only served nominally. Therefore, the most he could do on the subject of the previous week’s incident was reward his servant by giving him more responsibilities of greater confidence. The fox did not appear to appreciate the gesture.

In fact, Nicolas did appreciate the gesture of gratitude, such as it was. He simply wished it came with a commensurate reduction in his responsibilities elsewhere. Nicolas was feeling taxed. His duties had grown to well beyond what he felt could be called reasonable. Granted, he disliked to exert himself beyond necessity, but that was neither here nor there.

In addition to managing the kitchens, he was acting as the de facto secretary to the Lord, as well as the confidante to the mistress of the House. To be frank, attending on the business of the Lady was far more demanding than that of the Lord. Lady Hopps ordered the accounts, managed the household and swam the murky depths of the potentially lethal intriguing between families, in addition to the myriad daily concerns a wife and mother must contend with. Lord Hopps, on the other hand, demanded far less.

The largest demand Stuart placed on the of his butler was regarding his daily dressing. Assisting in deciding on which cravat to wear was hardly difficult, but dressing could take the buck the better part of an hour to accomplish. That was time the fox felt could be better used dealing with the other distractions that had popped up. One of which was a certain doe rabbit, a scion of the House.

Judith wasn’t being unpleasant. Quite the opposite, really. She had become notably more cordial to himself and the other predators in the House, bordering on friendly. Greetings with a smile were unusual for him and it was jarring, at first. As were the occasions he heard of her primly defending him or chastising her younger siblings for behaving poorly towards him. It was unexpected and worthy of note. Nicolas was increasingly uncomfortable because of it.

He had learned long ago to mistrust good turns in his fortune. In this case, his anxiety grew the longer he waited for the dagger under the sweets. Therefore, some weeks after the incident in the woods, he was fit to be tied when he received an evening summons from one of the parlors reserved for the older kits. His disquiet only grew when he discovered the one who had summoned him was none other than the doe, herself. Her request was simple enough and he was relieved that all she had desired was a tea platter for herself and a second cup for her companion who would be along shortly.

Believing he was overthinking the situation, he complied with her request and brought the tray with a second cup and some minor refreshments to her in the study. Upon returning to the parlor, he noted that she was slightly nervous. It earned no more than a raised eyebrow, until the fox had finished settling the tea out properly and prepared to depart.

“Will that be all Ms. Hopps?”

“No, Mr. Wilde. I have a question for you.”

“Which is?”

“Are your duties completed for the day?”

The pointlessness of the question, in his opinion, was reflected in his single raised eyebrow. “I believe so. By this time of day, the limit of the demands on my time are duties such as serving tea to young ladies of the house, upon request.”

“That is relieving to hear.”, She replied with a pleased smile.

Nicolas was momentarily confused at her odd response and confounded at her pouring the second cup. “Miss Hopps, I do not mean to pry, but is your companion due to arrive soon? If not, the tea will cool before it is drunk.”

“What are you asking, Mr. Wilde? He’s already here.” She replied with a grin all too like her mother’s and he knew he was trapped. She gestured to the chair opposite her and he sat, grumbling about daughters too similar to their mothers. Judith’s smile grew at his muttering, as it was high praise to her. Surprising to her, was the light blush that suffused her cheeks at his grudging praise. She was grateful it remained hidden behind her grey fur.

The fox collected his tea and sipped, before inquiring, “So, Miss Hopps, to what do I owe the honor?”

“Please, Mr. Wilde, when it’s is just us, call me Judith.”

“I’m afraid I couldn’t possibly.”

“May I ask why not?”, She inquired, given pause at his finality.

“It would be highly improper for a servant to be so familiar with a member of their employer’s family.”

“You call my mother by her given name.”, she pointed out.

“True enough, Miss Hopps. However, that circumstance and this are entirely different.”

“How so?”

By this point, Nicolas was growing impatient with her obstinacy. He did not enjoy being callous, but she had to learn that not everything was simply hers for the demanding. He replaced his teacup in its saucer and turned to fully face her. “For one, she is in fact my employer. I answer to her directly, so when she ordered me to call her by her name I obeyed. Secondly, we have developed a mutual respect over many years. That respect has been earned. Reason number threesie, she has always treated me well and fairly. In the twenty years I have known her that has been true. That speaks far more deeply to me than the work of a handful of weeks.”

Judith wilted. Her eyes downcast at her cup. “So, I have not earned your respect.”

Nicolas softened his expression, but remained firm. “I respect you as my employer’s daughter. That is all that is necessary for me to fulfil my duties.”

“Your duties have seen you placed in harm’s way and for the protection of my life, among others. You deserve better.”, Judith pleaded.

“Perhaps so, Miss Hopps, but there are some deficits which exist between what should be and what is.”

“There are, Mr. Wilde, and I am trying to correct my failings in that regard.”

“I do not disparage your recent behavior, Miss Hopps, but you must understand. A few weeks of decency do not make up for years of unpleasantness. You must understand my reticence in investing my faith in such a turn of events.”

“I can not say I blame you, but I had hoped for more.” Her ears, which had been slowly dropping, finally flopped against her back.

“I appreciate your honesty, Miss Hopps.”

“You trust my mother, Mr. Wilde. That is clear as day. What will it take for you to trust me?”

“It will take time.”

“I understand.”, she replied, mostly to the cup that rested in her lap.

“Now, if you will excuse me, Miss Hopps.” Nicolas rose and made his way to the door, but paused before departing. Something in him wanted to hope that she was sincere. He had to nurture her desire to try, if he was ever to know for certain. He also couldn’t leave her looking so dejected. Some small part of him wouldn’t allow it. He sighed before half turning back to the saddened rabbit. “Miss Hopps? Perhaps, the next time you wish to take tea with me, you’ll simply request my presence. I have a weakness for accepting invitations which lack subterfuge.”

Judith’s ears quickly rose again and her eyes shone. “I shall remember that, Mr. Wilde.”

Nicolas was surprisingly pleased to see such a reaction. None more surprised than himself. “Very good, Miss Hopps. Ring when you are done with your tea and I will attend to it.” So saying, he bowed slightly and slipped out of the room, closing the door gently behind him. As he made his way back to the kitchens, unbeknownst to him, not a smirk, but a small smile graced his face.

Judith sat in her chair, smiling as she sipped her tea and nibbled. Her attempt to engage the fox in conversation had not gone anywhere near how she had hoped. He had been professional and appropriate, and very clear in his position. His honesty had been blunt. Now, Judith knew exactly where she stood with him. He had not, however, been cruel or dismissive of her efforts.

It was clear to her that she had her work cut out for her, but there was hope. He had all but stated that he would be willing to meet with her again and it would take time to earn his trust. She had earned another chance. It was a step. A small one, but a step nonetheless.

Once she had satisfied herself of her tea, Judith rose and rang the bell before leaving the parlor. It was getting late and she needed her rest. Besides, the butler would suspect another entrapment if she stayed to bid him a good night, much as she wanted to. To earn his trust, she had to play by his rules, so once the bell chimed, she made her way to the washroom and hence to her bed.

As she lay in the dark, she felt satisfaction. As her mother said, anything worth having is worth the work to get it. Judith could not help but agree. The small, genuine smile he had shown her before he took his leave had been a prize worth the work. Anticipation shivered through her at the thought of what else she might get next. Whatever it was, she was sure it would be worth the work.

Chapter Text

This time, Judith was prepared. Irritated, but prepared. Since her failed attempt at cornering the butler into tea, she had been thorough, very thorough, in her preparations for her second attempt.

It was well worth her mother's look of surprised consideration when she found her the day after her failure and inquired about the fox. Judith was aware that subtlety was not something she possessed much of the time, but in this case her artlessness seemed to work in her favor. Bonnie's surprise melted into bemusement as she answered her child's questions. They were nothing invasive, but served to create a clearer picture of the fox. Bonnie was surprised at Judith's continued interest, but was obliging. If this diversion kept Judith occupied constructively, she was not about to discourage it.

In the fortnight since then, she had done what she felt was a reasonable amount of research regarding the fox and not just through her mother. She had learned from her previous investigations which sources were reliable in the House for information about him. Fittingly, she complained to herself, they were the least likely to talk. First and foremost among them, Finnick, the tiny fennec fox who served as the House pastry chef. It was common knowledge that Nicolas had recommended the smaller vulpine for his current position and her mother was adamant that it was the second best hire she had ever made. Naturally, the debt between the foxes made the fennec rather tight lipped when it came to his colleague.

What she did manage to learn was that Mr. Wilde had a soft spot for certain berries and preferred Assam tea to Earl Grey. That was, of course, until she instructed the belligerent chef to prepare to make certain confections on a date to be named. By the time she was done, the jaws of both the chef and scullery maid were hanging open. She tried very hard not to think too much about the reasons for that.

She had left the kitchens fully intent on finding and speaking to the red fox, but in a week of effort had failed magnificently to accomplish the task. Hence, her irritation. She had heretofore been ignoring a characteristic of Nicolas's that she had known about, but never appreciated: his elusiveness. She had never cared to pursue the vulpine previously, so it had mattered little. Now, in seeking him, she felt like she was being led a merry chase.

As she sought him, he was absent no matter where she searched. When questioned, many of her family and the servants confirmed that he had just been at paw and they did not know where he had gone, or on what business. Even her parents seemed to be in the dark. Stuart, himself, told her that the fox had left his own presence mere breaths ago, more than once, but the fox was nowhere to be seen. Even her attempts to summon him were met with failure, as any bell she rang resulted in a footman, maid or under butler appearing.

Finally, she had simply given up on speaking with him and written him a note, sealed it and asked her mother to deliver it, as she would likely see the fox before Judith would.

That done, she spoke to the pastry chef to arrange the comestibles. He assured her that everything would be ready in two days time, at the appointed hour. He even seemed to have warmed to her slightly, as he offered a small suggestion or two on her plan. Once that was complete, all she could do was wait and hope that her invitation found him. Otherwise, her plans would go up in smoke.

Meanwhile, Nicolas was feeling harried, bordering on harassed. Whatever had happened, between the tasks given him by the Lord and Lady Hopps’ increasingly intense requirements, he spent far more scurrying about than he was comfortable with. In addition to his usual responsibilities, a distressing amount of his time had been spent ferrying messages between the House and the various halls of power in the Tri-burrows. It was at the point where he had to rely on the loyal service of his underlings to accomplish their tasks without his supervision. He was very uncomfortable with the prospect.

Nicolas was aware of the political situation the Hopps family found themselves in by virtue of their holdings and titles and the pressures on the Lord and Lady to keep everything in proper balance. That did not make his lot in life any easier. In fact, it had become significantly more dangerous outside the House. Nicolas knew it would pass, eventually, just as he knew Mrs. Hopps only asked so much out of necessity and in complete trust. He was honored to serve her. Disappointingly, that honor did not make his tail any less sore from spending so much time on the road.

It was only after another long day preventing the latest crisis from boiling over that he returned to the manor in the afternoon and set about his tasks. He had to see to the state of the kitchens and confer with the head chef about the following day's events. Then, the pantries and larders needed inspection and then on to discuss what he had missed with his underlings. Then, the inventory order for the next month had to be planned. It would be a long night.

However, before all else, he had papers for the master of the house and his business with Lady Hopps to attend to. Doggedly, he set off for the Lord's study, hoping it would not take as long as he feared.

Bonnie remarked on Nicolas' return with a small smile, from her study window. There were a great many concerns that churned through her mind as a mammal of position, but foremost in her thoughts at all times was the welfare of her children. New behaviors or changes in attitude were always important. As a mother, noticing and understanding them as they manifested in her kits was of paramount concern. Her most recent concern had been Judith's passing obsession with Nicolas, but now Bonnie was less sure her daughter's focus was passing.

She had made her own discrete inquiries and discovered the instructions Judith had given to Finnick, as well as Judith's other movements and inquiries over the previous week. It piqued her curiosity, but she didn't want to push her daughter into revealing anything. She would likely clam up and be sullen until Bonnie managed to wheedle the truth out of her. It was a tiring process and despite Bonnie's usual enjoyment of it, she didn't have the energy to spare at present. She had resolved to merely let it play out.

She was, therefore, inordinately pleased when Judith herself had appeared, asking her to play messenger. Mrs. Hopps had known about the silly intrigue Judith had attempted with the tea. It had been destined to fail. Bonnie had thought that would be the end of it, but the preparations in the kitchens and Judith's other efforts had come to give her pause. With the delivery of the note, Bonnie was sure more was going on than she knew.

All she needed was Nicolas to arrive, before she could learn for certain what her daughter was about in this. Perhaps, it would illuminate Nicolas' mind on the matter, as well. Blessedly, he was not long in arriving, as her curiosity gnawed at her.

His token visit to the master of the House was brief and, shortly, Bonnie saw him enter her study. His eternal grin in was place, but his step was lacking its usual energy.

"Good afternoon, Nicolas."

"Afternoon, Lady Hopps."

"Nick, what have I told you about being formal when it's just us."

"You started it, Bonnie." The fox replied with a chortle.

Bonnie could hear the wear in his voice. She hated to ask more of him, but business was best dealt with briskly. "What do you have for me?"

The fox set down the document case he carried and began pulling out papers. "Signed contracts, several requests for information, a dinner invitation from the mayor of Podunk and the outlying farmsteads have submitted their requests early for the festival."

"All good, if somewhat mundane. What of Council Chairmammal?"

"He declined to comment on the schedule for the land survey for the new mill complex, but judging from his behavior, I suspect he's been bribed regarding where to place it."

"The McFleece's?"

"Most likely. They have a good placement on the river and the runoff wouldn't impact their lands. It would be in their interest."

"And against ours. Their runoff would poison our fields."

"Indeed."

"What of our other concerns?"

Now, Nicolas pulled a small sheaf of sealed and bundled letters from his inner coat pocket and handed it to Bonnie. "Our friends in various places send their regards. No misses this time and several families send their support."

"Good. I look forward to what they have to say. Thank you."

"Always a pleasure, madam." At that, Bonnie snorted in a very unladylike fashion and both chuckled. There was seldom any pleasure to be taken in such skullduggery, but spies were a necessity, an unpleasant one. "Shall we begin? I still have much to do, before day's end."

"Just a moment. I am afforded a rare honor myself, today." Nicolas was confused by her words and looked askance at her. Bonnie's face was inscrutable and betrayed only curiosity and amusement to the fox.

"It is very rare that I am in your position. Delivering letters is a treat, I find." As she withdrew the note her daughter had left in her care from her desk, Nicolas became wary. "Judith left this with me for you. Apparently, you have been challenging for her to find, of late."

Nicolas was torn between annoyance and interest as he accepted the missive. "Hardly a surprise, considering the demands on my time, but no matter."

"Open it, Nick. It may be important."

"Your curiosity is piqued, I take it?"

"Wouldn't yours be? Oh, do open it. I promise not to pry too much." Nick broke the seal and opened the note. "Well? What does it say?"

"It says that miss Judith will be disappointed."

"I very much doubt that."

"When did she give this to you?"

"The day before yesterday. Now, what does it say?" When Nick didn't respond, she pressed "or do you feel it too salacious for my delicate sensibilities?"

Nonplussed, nick replied, "It is an invitation to join her for tea, today. In approximately ten minutes."

"And how will that leave her disappointed?"

"Aside from our work here, my duties to the House have been neglected too long. I can not spare the time."

"Nicolas, you are worn. Go attend on my daughter and take a little ease for yourself. The kitchens will wait and I will deal with the quartermasters. It's about time a few of the other mammals around here did some work."

"Should I fear for my employment, madam?"

"Hardly. You are my good right arm. Heavens help us all if you leave us."

"Would this be a good time to request an increase in my compensations?"

"Cheeky."

"As only I can be."

"We will discuss that and the rest of our business tomorrow, after breakfast. Now, go. Judith is waiting. Knowing her, she has put a lot of effort into this. Don't let them go to waste."

"Very well, madam. Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, Nicolas."

Judith sat anxiously in the same parlor she had attempted to trick the butler into taking tea with her, before. Her invitation was very clear on the time and place. Her only fear was that he would not receive it until it was too late. That fear had grown and now loomed large in her mind, weighing heavy on her heart.

She had managed to resist the urge to pace or wring her paws as the minutes wore on, but it was a painful struggle. Her nerves were working to a fever pitch until the clock struck four. The clock chime and the door to the parlor opening made her jump, much to the amusement of her invited guest.

"You appear to be a touch out of sorts, Miss Hopps. Are you well?"

Breathlessly, Judith exclaimed, "You received my invitation."

"I did. I returned to the manor less than an hour ago and find that Lady Hopps has found a new vocation as a post carrier. I was quite surprised."

Judith giggled into her paw. "I'm sorry, but I had no idea how else to get it to you, reliably."

"I must commend you on your creative thinking, Miss. it certainly surprised me."

"I find that pleases me."

"That you surprised me?"

"That it can be done at all."

"Miss Hopps, of late that has been accomplished quite often and frequently by you."

"Then, I hope this continues the theme. Will you sit?" So saying Judith gestured to a chair. A chair Nicolas realized, was slightly large for a rabbit.

Sitting, Nicolas finally thought to look at what had been prepared for their small repast. If Judith had intended to surprise him, he had to admit she had succeeded. Situated in the small parlor, was a chair built to suit his stature, obviously from storage. The tea set was rabbit sized, save for a larger cup and saucer and a kettle was already over the fire to refill the small pot.

It was clear that Judith had put some serious thought into her preparations. However, what really drove home to Nicolas that she had put in effort was the scent of Assam tea as she poured and the dish of blueberry tartlets, bearing Finnick's signature crust folding and sprig of mint, with the rest of the nibbles.

Judith smiled as Nicolas took in what she had done. The look of wonder on his face was a heady tonic to her and she delighted in it.

Just outside the door, Bonnie Hopps discretely peeked in on the two mammals. She was not subtle, nor did she need to be, as neither Judith nor Nicolas paid any mind to anything outside themselves. She smiled and she softly closed the door, her mind alight with what she had witnessed. Such a sweet gesture from her daughter was not unexpected, but the level of effort Judith had gone to was a surprise. Bonnie had no idea what to think, but she didn't need to. She resolved to leave them to themselves for a time and see what happened. After all, such things grew best when nature took its own course.

Chapter Text

Bonnie Hopps was neither superstitious, nor terribly religious. She observed on the appropriate days as her station demanded, played her part and met expectations. She was not disdainful of that area of life. She simply hadn't the time, or mental power to spare. She did, however, occasionally suspect that there was a paw of the divine at work in her life, particularly when it came to curious happenstance.

It was rare that Lady Hopps had the opportunity to enjoy the opera, so when the Tri-burrows opera house had decided to perform Mouseart's acclaimed masterpiece, The Marriage of Figaro, she had leapt at the chance to procure tickets for herself and her husband. She knew Mouseart's work wouldn't be too challenging for her husband and still enjoyable for her. The irony of a rodent writing such a magnificent musical work about a feline's matrimonial trouble was not lost on her. Unfortunately, all her plans were for naught.

Four months, she'd had those tickets. Four months of working herself silly and managing her husband's schedules to assure the date stayed free, all come to nothing thanks to an ambassadorial cock up in the Indos Valley.

There was nothing to be done. Lord Hopps was needed in Parliament as soon as possible and would be gone for at the least a week. Propriety dictated that she not attend such a public function without her husband. She would be well within her rights to go regardless, but tongues wagging would do nothing positive for her or her family. The gossips already loved her for her eccentricities regarding predators. Best not to feed them anything else, at present, but she hated to see the tickets wasted.

Lady Hopps was attempting to alleviate her vexation and find a solution to her admittedly minor concern by walking the halls, when she stumbled upon Judith. Her daughter was sitting on a window bench in an alcove of her favorite parlor, reading a book of some kind. Judith's secret love of penny dreadful romance novellas was not a secret to her, so it was a reasonable assumption she was reading one. Bonnie was indifferent to the shabby books, herself, but supposed there was an allure to them if one was young and inexperienced in romance. Inexperience that was fleeting, it seemed to Bonnie.

As the matron neared her daughter, she noticed that the young doe's eyes were not on the page, but staring into space. A space, she suspected, was occupied by thoughts of red fur and green eyes. Her suspicions were confirmed when Judith’s eyes darted to the one chair in the room not sized for lapins and she ducked her grinning face behind her book.

The solution she had been circling towards in her mind came to her in an instant. Rather than declare her presence, Lady Hopps walked to the bell pull and rang. Judith popped out of her fantasy and attempted to cover her fluster at being found daydreaming. Bonnie smiled at her daughter and informed her that she would be representing the family at the opera, in their stead. Judith was less than enthusiastic. Her love of opera was entirely non-existent. She required coaxing.

"Must I, mother? I have never enjoyed opera, even Mouseart."

"You enjoy his symphonies well enough."

"The symphony I find stimulating. Opera I find tedious."

"Perhaps, that is because you have never attended with the right companion."

"What do you mean?"

"Judith, the difference the company you keep can make on an evening is unfathomable. Boring company can make even the best entertainment feel drab and good companionship can make drivel exhilarating."

"I will have to take your word for it, mother. I've never been to the opera with company other than you and father."

"And for a young lady, one's parents are exceedingly dull company. Now, as your father is off to the capital and I am indisposed, whom will you ask to accompany you? Is there a friend you would have along? A young gentlemammal, perhaps?"

At her mother's suggestion, her first instinct was to balk, as she always did. She had few friends, fewer still she would inflict the opera on and no gentlemammal at all. She was mid-protest when her fantasies from minutes beforehand reasserted themselves. The thought of a night in the company of Mr. Wilde hit her and her denials became blushing stutters. Bonnie endured her daughter's flailing attempts at whitewashing for a few minutes, waiting for her trump card to appear. When the fox in question arrived in response to the bell, Judith was struck all but mute, while Bonnie grinned. Seeing both rabbits, Nicolas was instantly on his guard.

"You rang, madam?"

"I did, indeed. I wanted to speak with you about the new sous chef, but a more pressing matter has arisen. I trust you have no objections to a different topic?"

"I prefer to leave such actions to the House’s solicitors."

"Nicolas, rein in your wit for a moment and tell me, do you enjoy the opera?"

"I do indeed, madam! I understand that The Marriage of Figaro is performing this season. I had hoped to attend a performance, if I could manage it."

"That is most fortuitous, Mr. Wilde. You see, I have a problem. Months ago, I purchased tickets to attend with my husband tomorrow evening, but as you know..."

"He is on his way to Parliament as of this morning and likely to be gone for days."

"Quite. Now, I was going to send Judith in our place, so as to avoid wasting the tickets, but she has no escort. I was hoping you would undertake the task."

"I would be delighted, Lady Hopps."

"Excellent! Now, you have your formalwear, correct?"

"My public uniform is always ready, madam. Just say the word."

"No, no. Nicolas, you will not be attending as a servant, but as a formal escort. Now, your wardrobe will accommodate, I presume?"

"I possess appropriate garments, I believe."

"Make sure you do. Remember, you are escorting a daughter of this House to a formal event. You will be seen."

"I shall attend to that presently, madam."

Bonnie nodded sharply and her smile reflected her satisfaction with his responses. Nicolas departed anticipating one of his favorite entertainments, eager to select a fitting wardrobe for the event. Judith sat, her book groaning under the pressure of her grip as she struggled to grasp what had just happened, as her mother departed the parlor. Bonnie’s smile turned victorious as soon as she was out of her daughter’s sight.

The following evening saw the young rabbit far more animated, that is, if nervous fussing qualified. Her mother was very amused. Between the fidgeting and the roses tinge in her ears, Bonnie was certain Judy would enjoy her evening out. She had arranged a small treat for the two, in the hopes of assuring it.

Nicolas had never dined at Le Poisson Rouge until that evening. He owed Lady Hopps a very thorough expression of gratitude for arranging the reservation. It certainly deserved its reputation as the premier locale for fine dining in the region. His poached salmon was sublime, the wine list was extensive and his company was a delight. Once she overcame her nervousness and managed to find her way into the easy rhythm they had come to enjoy from their regular teas over the last many weeks, she was quite good company. They concluded their meal with plenty of time to spare and elected to walk the short distance to the opera house. It was a pleasant evening for a stroll and Nicolas was pleased at the pleasantly unfamiliar weight of a lady’s paw on his arm.

Once they arrived at the opera house, they were shown to their seats. Judith knew in advance, but Nicolas was somewhat surprised when the theatre attendant led them, up the stairs to one of the reserved boxes. Judith enjoyed watching her companion’s face as he succeeded only partially in restraining the look of confounded delight at the turn of events.

“Really, Mr. Wilde. Did you think that Lord and Lady Hopps would find seats to the opera in the rafters?”

“It’s where I usually find myself seated, on the rare occasion I attend.”

“As may be true for a servant, but tonight you are not a servant. You are an escort for a Lady of a High House. They merely gave us their tickets. Where else would our seats be?”

“Forgive me, Miss Hopps. I have been preoccupied since she informed me of my task to escort you. It hadn’t really occurred to me.”

“Well, now you are aware. This box is reserved for the Hopps family. As you and I are the only members of the House present, it is for our use.”

“So, I gathered from the two chairs.”

The formal box was excellently sized for rabbits and would normally house four chairs for the Lord and Lady, along with two guests. In this case, the Lady’s paw was present again in that there were two only chairs and one befitting his larger stature. Fittingly, his larger chair was settled appropriately for his role of the evening, slightly behind hers relative to the stage and just to the inside of the box, where he would be less visible. Nicolas was pleased by the forethought of the opera house management. It was clear they grasped the somewhat atypical circumstances of the box’s occupants, but he nonetheless felt a small sting.

Rather than pursue the meaning behind that unforeseen reaction within himself, he set about pulling the curtains which draped the box into the proper positioning to conceal his presence while maintaining his charge’s visibility to the rest of the theatre. Should they choose to look, they would see only the lady of the House, not the servant who accompanied her, as was proper. Servants were discouraged from being seen, unless it was necessary. Specifically in his case, unless there was cause for him to unsettle some unfortunate mammal for his presence at the lady’s side.

“What are you about, Mr. Wilde? Afraid of being gawked at?”

“I am used to the gawking, Miss. I am merely attempting to be considerate. My presence may put other mammals off their enjoyment of the performance, or give them cause to look at you for being in my company.”

“And why would that disconcert me?”

“I doubt it would, Miss Hopps, but it could damage your reputation and that of the House. As I am a servant it is only proper that I be concealed, regardless of the capacity in which I serve.”

“I find that displeasing, Mr. Wilde.”

“As do I, but that is why these curtains exist. One of the reasons, anyway.”

“I am aware that they are used to conceal Lord McFleece when he invariably begins to snore during the third act.”

“Your reading of the society columns notwithstanding, the curtains have their fair share of utility. They are indeed used to conceal somnolent nobles, but they are also used for more… diverting concealment, shall we say?”

“Do we not come to the theatre for diversion?”

“Ah, yes. However, if a performance is found to be dull, the curtains will serve to muffle the sounds of a tryst, just as effectively as the snores of a lord.”

“A tryst?”

“Indeed, Miss Hopps. I am sure in your reading you’ve made note of the box held for Lord and Lady Rackney. Since old Lord Rackney married a doe nearly a third his age, their box’ curtains haven’t been open past the middle of the first act, all season. The old deer is enjoying married life, it seems.”

Flummoxed, Judith fell silent while Nicolas grinned. Her ears were pink tinged and she was very flustered. Her awareness of the fox’s actions with the curtains grew acute. The possibility of them closing fully sent a nervous thrill through her. Propriety dictated that they remained open until the performance began, but once the lights dimmed was another matter. She could feel her heart speed in her chest and her breath shortening as she danced on the edge of her fantasy. A glance at her escort made it clear that he knew of her flustered state. Nicolas grinned mischievously when their eyes met and was gratified as she blushed and set her eyes firmly on her lap.

Blessedly, in Judith’s opinion, they did not have long to wait for the performance to begin. The conductor entered to polite applause shortly after Nicolas finished setting the curtains to right and claimed his seat. The lights dimmed slightly and the orchestra struck up smartly. It was all very stimulating to Nicolas, who reveled in the music and story, while Judith was quickly lost.

After several minutes of increasing boredom, Judith cast a glance at the fox and was unable to look away. In the low gaslight, he was lovely. His eyes were bright and rapt at the performance, obviously enjoying himself immensely. He looked positively buoyant; buoyant and strikingly handsome. Unfortunately, Judith was caught in her reverie, but rather than be offended her companion was concerned. Her blush was not just for her embarrassment at being caught staring.

“Are you well, Miss Hopps?” Nicolas whispered. “You seem distressed.”

Judith opened her mouth to respond, but between a crescendo and the need for quiet, she opted for a different course of action. She dropped her ears low and slipped out of her chair. Before Nicolas could react, she lifted her chair very quietly and repositioned it beside his own chair. Nicolas was impressed at her display of hidden strength and slightly discommoded at her new proximity, despite making their whispered communication easier.

“Mr. Wilde, I find myself somewhat lost. I am unfamiliar with the language and I fear I misunderstand the plot. You seem completely at ease with it, so I was hoping for some insight.”

“I see. The story is simple enough. Figaro and Susanna wish to marry. They are servants to Count Almaviva, who wishes to seduce Susanna. The story is a comedy of sorts, centering on their desire to wed against his attempts to sunder it. It ends with their marriage and the count learning a lesson in fidelity. Ironic, is it not?”

“In what way is there irony in such a story?”

“The irony lies in your recent accusations against myself and the Lady Hopps. That we should attend this opera is fitting, is it not?”

The fox’s teasing tone and easy smile not only served to blunt the sting of the memory, but made the heat flare under her bodice. The fact of her embarrassment was only part of it, however. Her sense of his proximity and the nearness of his muzzle to her ears were brought suddenly into sharp relief. The theatre suddenly felt very warm.

As the performance continued, Judith’s appreciation slowly grew with Nicolas’s occasional input. Eventually, she found herself enjoying the story and vocal components, not just Mousearts’ music. By the third act, she was completely entranced. So much so, she didn't even notice her paw landing on his, during one of the more impassioned arias in the final act. Nicolas was stunned still at her act and remained so until Judith realized where her paw had landed. She removed her paw and flailed for an apology, only to be silenced by his raised paw. He held a finger to his lips, reminding her of where she was. The calming effect of his equipoise lasted until he winked. Then, her blush returned in full.

Refusing to look at him, she whispered, "You tease." It was a statement; an accusation.

Smiling, he replied, "Apologies, miss. I couldn't help myself. You're quite fetching when you blush."

At that, Judith turned scarlet. She took a chance and glanced at him, only to see him grinning. She could think of nothing else to do but strike his knee with her fan. The remainder of the opera was spent in companionable silence and ended with both of them smiling.

They left the opera house properly comported for the occasion. To look at them, nothing at all had passed in the Hopps’ box, except time in enjoyment of the opera. The chairs had been returned to the locations they had been in at the start of the night and if anyone were to look, there was no evidence they had been moved.

Nicolas escorted his companion to the waiting carriage, exactly as propriety demanded. He held the door, provided a paw up. To the casual onlooker, he was the perfect gentlemammal and Judith was the consummate lady. No one would have noticed if her paw had lingered on his as he assisted her into the carriage, of if he gaze had an unusually gentle glint, seeing to her. Once he had ascended to the carriage, himself, the carriage slid away into the night, back to the Manor.

Seated opposite each other, as was proper, the carriage ride was quiet, but companionable as both mammals were very lost in their own thoughts. Nicolas spent the ride replaying the arias in his mind to distract himself from the memory of her paw on his and Judith struggled not to miss the feeling of intimacy she felt in the theatre.

When they arrived at the Manor, Judith was sorry to see the evening end. Nicolas offered his paw to help her down from the carriage and she declined to relinquish the contact once she alighted. Instead, she chose to take his arm. Nicolas was uncertain, but would not deny her. He was uncomfortable at how much he enjoyed the feeling of her paw on his arm. He attributed the feeling, as well as the rest of his behavior, to the lingering ambience that permeated their whole evening.

He escorted her to the door to her bedroom and bid her goodnight. She offered her paw, palm down in what he assumed was playing the part customary to such an evening. It was not unusual for a lady to offer her paw as such. The custom was for the gentlemammal to take the lady’s paw and bow over it, but otherwise not to touch it. In what he later tried to convince himself was a fit of madness, he took her smaller paw in his as tenderly as a mammal could, and pressed his lips to the back of it.

“Thank you, Miss Hopps for a glorious evening.”

Judith stammered, “The pleasure was mine.” Before slipping into her room and shutting the door.

Judith managed to contain herself. Barely. Her heart hammered at her ribs for the many minutes it took for her to draw herself away from the door and set about dressing for her bed. She knew she would get little sleep.

Nicolas, for his part, made his way to his quarters, divested himself of his concealed armaments, and set himself right for the morning. When he finally laid on his cot, the hours ticked by as he tried not to think about his foolish infatuation. Teasing, he might be allowed with their recent familiarity, but kissing her paw may have been too far. He was merely a servant, after all. It was not right that he let himself get carried away and think above his station.

Unbeknownst to either of them, they had been observed in their evening’s conclusion. Lady Hopps remained awake and had observed their tender parting. It made her feel young again to see them behaving at once so brashly and with such timidity. It reminded her of the halcyon days of her own youth, when Stuart was courting her. It made her feel young again.

Bonnie was gratified. This night was a singular experience for her. She had seen many of her kits grow up. She had seen the after effects and impacts to their behaviors, as well as the heartache and tension that wore on them. However, until this night she had never seen the actual moment when one of her children had fallen in love. When Nicolas had kiss Judith’s paw, Bonnie had seen the elation and surprise in her daughter’s face. It was unmistakable what emotion she would doubtlessly be feeling after such a pivotal experience. It was a blessing indeed that Judith had no artifice.

Now, there was only one question that remained. Judith was in love. What of Nick’s feelings? As she made her way to her bed, she decided to take a leaf from her daughter's book and invite the butler to tea.

Chapter Text

Bonnie felt she had waited long enough. A week of watching her daughter and the butler dance around each other had been excruciating. At first the bashfulness and tentative contact had been oh so sweet. It lost its novelty very quickly. Perhaps, it was her years and maturity that gave Bonnie perspective. More likely, she just had waited long enough for something to change with her two most stubborn charges and grown impatient.

Nicolas was her son for all practical purposes and her daughter held a soft spot in her heart. They were both intractable in so many ways. Between Judith’s willful refusal to bend to social expectations and Nicolas’ damnable capacity for self-isolation, they were her most frequent concerns as far as their futures were concerned. As far as Judith’s future was concerned, she was almost to her twenty fifth year. Her value as a potential bride would be all but gone and she would have to make a future serving the family in some other way to earn her keep, or be a burden on the House. Meanwhile, Nicolas was wasted as a mere butler. His skills and mental capacities could have seen him become so much more.

They were so similar and, until recently, Bonnie was certain they were as compatible as water and oil. Now, she felt that opposite ends of a magnet was a more apt comparison for the two. They resisted at every turn, fighting the forces which drew them to each other as their natures demanded, but their desire was clear. Nicolas was being drawn out from behind his mask, his defenses of many years and long reinforcement. Judith had found a focus for her energies and had started to bloom into a lady of potency, not just a cipher of the House like so many of her siblings. Much to her bemusement, so much of Judith’s progress and her own hopes centered on the fox who had just joined her for tea. Irony was the delight of the celestials. It gave an old doe hope of many kinds.

She made no secret of her abilities around him. He knew her far too well for such illusions. In this case, her preparations of the same tartlets and tea that Judith routinely used when they met was a statement of knowledge. As was the small vase holding a single peony bloom and twining of ivy; exactly the ensemble that Nicolas had brought to their last tea, after their evening at the opera. With any luck, such a display of her knowledge would have him clamming up tout suite, the predictable little dear. She disliked pressuring him, but there was no other way to know. One cannot know the strength of walls without testing them.

The fox, for his part, knew exactly what he was getting into. As he sat, he took notice of the pastries and vase, as well as the scent of Assam. It was clear that Bonnie knew much of the recent developments between Judith and himself. He pinked slightly at the possibility she knew about him kissing her paw, as well. Sighing quietly, he admitted to himself she probably did.

Tea with Lady Hopps was the quietest and most civilized battleground he’d ever seen, after the grandmaster chess tournament he’d attended with Lord Hopps some years previously. The chess was all but silent, while tea required conversation. Sadly, the chess was simpler and less cutthroat, in his opinion. Bonnie wasted little time in prevarications. It was time to play the game.

“What do you think of Judith?”

“As little as possible, Madam.”

“Oh? You think so ill of her that you would drive her from your mind?”

“Not at all, Madam. I consider her, just as I do all my charges, but the list of my responsibilities grows ever longer and frankly, I couldn’t spare the time.”

“Stuart has been a bit thoughtless in giving you so much more to do.”

“I’m happy to be of service, Mrs. Hopps, and I find myself bolstered by his display of trust. However…”

“You’re barely finding the time to sleep. I’ll speak to him.”

“I would be most grateful, Mrs. Hopps.”

“Then, show your gratitude and answer my question. What do you think of Judith?”

“I couldn’t say.”

“You could and would take delight in doing so.”

“True, Mrs. Hopps, but alas, I couldn’t say. Most improper.”

“I had no idea…”, Bonnie replied breathlessly.

“Madam?”

“I’m sorry, Nicolas. I had no idea your thoughts of her were so carnal as to be improper.”

“That was unkind, Mrs. Hopps, but well played.”

“Thank you. Now, I don't enjoy it, but I will play the mistress of the house card, if I have to.”

Nick sighed and relented. He had to answer very carefully in order to satisfy her question without tipping his hand. It was a razor’s edge. “Very well. She's different than her siblings. Unique.”

"How so?" Bonnie was very curious, now. Not because this was in any way news. She knew her daughter. What interested her was Nicolas' reading of her daughter. Often in expressing oneself, more than one's platitudes came through. She might just learn Nicolas's honest opinion. That was of paramount interest to Lady Hopps. Considering how hard he’d fought her thus far, she suspected it’d be worth the effort.

"She's more willful. More spirited, I suppose. Stubborn. As a child, rather than run, she stood up to me when I've "menaced" the kits. Not what one would expect from a young doe. She’s lost none of that fierceness."

"Menaced them, nothing. You brought them refreshments or called them to dinner."

"Semantics, Madam. At the time, she saw it as such.”

“That has changed, from what I’ve seen.”

“You have keen eyes, Madam.”

“You were saying, Nicolas?”

“I’m not sure what you are asking, Madam. You know your daughter well. She has will and determination. More so even than her brother Terence, who's off to war. Were she a buck, she could do great things."

"Does are quite capable in their own right, Nicolas.", Lady Hopps replied, primly.

"Indeed they are, Madam. You are evidence of that in spades, but it is difficult to see the capacities of the female sex around the Tri-burrows. One could send a doe as a diplomat, but propriety demands she be escorted by a male. If you're going to send a male anyway, why bother sending the doe? At least, that seems to be the attitude of the burrows. Ah, I've spoken out of turn. Apologies, madam."

"No. Nicolas, you have not spoken out of turn. Merely spoken truth. I am not a rabbit who will punish a mammal for speaking a truth I dislike."

"A flaw of personality I am grateful for.", he commented with a grin.

Bonnie smiled at him with fond exasperation, before returning to her tea. On the outside, she was hiding a smile behind her teacup, just as propriety and manners dictated. Inside, she was cheering.

Nicolas seldom expressed himself emotively. His face was a facade and he made no secret of it. His inflection and tone, however, were less stringently controlled. After so many years of being close to the fox, Bonnie could read him like a master, what little there was to read. What she saw there thrilled her. There was consideration there. Firmness describing her independence. A small drop of unintentional awareness. His tone was warm when he spoke of her defending her siblings against him, making it clear the memory held little of the bitterness it once did for him.

Bonnie allowed the conversation to meander away from her progeny to the mundane topics of the household. Inwardly, she schemed. She had to restrain herself from simply leaping into the air, like a kit, and crowing to the rafters. He was clearly paying attention to her, now, if not consciously. He had mostly forgiven her for her ill treatment and had come to, dare she say, respect Judith? The glint of emotion he let slip through spoke to a small spark of admiration and the comparison to her brother spoke volumes. Terrance was the most public pride of the family, serving with distinction and in line to assume command of his own regiment within the year. To associate Judith in such a matter told Bonnie volumes. It made the next steps in her plans much easier.

It was convenient that Nicolas had caught Judith's attention, as otherwise she'd be back on the warpath to avoid marriage altogether. Nudging her along with Molly had been a natural choice, just to provide her a distraction. Bonnie had no idea that such a small, calculatedly written off move would bear such fruit!

The rampart of the fox's defenses was cracked! It was small, almost trifling, but the fact it was there at all was a miracle. With Judith's energies directed as they were, she wasn't disrupting the household and her drive was contained. Her father was the same way; he always needed a task to turn his paw to.

Who would have ever thought Judy would choose Nicolas as her project? The implications were too delicious to ignore. Bonnie half-listened as she let her mind work on how to handle this. When she had pushed Molly to assist Judith, it was a move to distract her daughter from her poor experience with the von Lop buck, but that was the end of her direct involvement. She had to be sure. If she botched this or handled it poorly, both her daughter and the child she loved like a son would be badly hurt.

It went against her wants, but it was best if she left them be, for now. They were too rigid to be easily manipulated and would likely resent it if they discerned her hand, if not balk outright. Instead, perhaps the environment was the way to manage them. She did still have to speak to Judith and the topic was sure to incense the young doe.

“Nicolas, before we part, do you still have that book I marked out for you?”

“I do, Madam, thought I am not yet finished with it.”

“Could I press you to finish reading it soon? It’s an imposition, but I promised Lawrence a chance to read it before he left for university.”

“Is he that old, already?”

“Don’t remind me.” The two shared a chuckle.

“I will finish reading it tonight. I believe the gardens will have sufficient light.”

“The gardens? It will be dusk before you have an opportunity, surely.”

“True, Madam, but I find that my night vision is adequate, at least on nights with a full moon. Tonight will be sufficient for my needs.”

“But why the gardens? You can not read in your quarters?”

“Ordinarily, I can. However, the fresh air is bracing and there’s less chance of being interrupted. Also, less noise. My hearing is not as acute as yours, Madam, but I can make out the maids’ giggling well enough.”

“Voices do carry in the halls. Very well. Off you go. Good evening, Nicolas.”

“Good evening, Lady Hopps.”

As their tea ended and they went their disparate ways, Nicolas was none the wiser and largely indifferent. His mind was occupied with concluding his evening and looking forward to the prospect of a touch of leisure before finding his bed. Bonnie, on the other hand, made her way quickly to her private study. While her husband managed the farm and politics, she managed the house and holdings. Unfortunately, that meant attending to issues of the personal variety. Before her day ended she had to sit and speak with Judith. Alas, about a less pleasurable topic than the tea with Nicolas, despite being related.

When Judith arrived, Bonnie was hesitant but resigned. Judith was on edge. Such conversations seldom were about pleasant things. That was what parlors were for. The Lady’s study meant House business. There were few areas of House business that involved Judith in any way and those few were points of conflict at the best of times.

“Judith, please sit down.”

“Very well, mother. What did you wish to speak with me about?”

“I received a letter from your father. Apparently, there is a rumor that you had an assignation at the opera.” The look of aghast and embarrassed confusion on her daughter’s face was all the answer she needed. “Yes, I know it’s absurd.”

“That’s quite the understatement! Where did they get that idiotic idea?”

“Judith, have a care to your tone. I am not your enemy. The rumor is that you disappeared from your box in the first act, remained absent for the duration of the performance and left the opera house positively radiant. Someone got the idea in their heads that you met your paramour.”

“I haven’t got a paramour!”

Bonnie had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes or laughing at that outburst. By a loose definition, Nicolas fit the bill, but commenting to the effect would do nothing but make Judith shy away from her burgeoning romance. Also, teasing never worked on her when she was this upset.

“I know that, but your father, bless his foolishness, is hearing rumors and has written me to get the truth of it. Therefore, let us endure the formalities, shall we?”

“Why not? I delight in discussing how I didn’t meet some buck in a hallway, or whatever smutty nonsense is being bandied around about me.”

“Nothing even approaching what you imply, now calm down. All you father has heard was what I told you. He’s not a complete fool.” Bonnie hated to ruin the little semblance of calm her daughter had reclaimed after her outburst, but it was unavoidable. Perhaps, levity would help. “He simply wishes to meet the buck, so we can begin formal negotiations for an engagement.”

“He what?” The hurt in Judy’s voice was agonizing to her mother. It had been an attempt at humor to lighten the situation. It was evidently a spectacular flop. Whatever was going through her daughter’s head, it was only hurting. Expedience was the solution.

“Please, Judith, just let me ask. Formality, remember?”

“If we must.”, Judith grumbled resentfully.

“Now, did you have an assignation at the opera?”

Judith’s ears flushed red. “No.”

Bonnie’s eyebrows raised at the lie. It had to be a lie with Judith’s ears going so red; too red for light embarrassment, or anger. “Why would you disappear from the box?”

“I didn’t. I simply lowered my ears and relocated my chair.”

Truth. “What on earth for?”

“Mr. Wilde hid himself with the box’s curtains. I wanted to ask what was happening in the opera, as I had no understanding of it. I moved my chair closer to his, so I could ask his help and not inconvenience anyone else with my voice.”

Truth, again. “So, you were also concealed by the curtains. Oh, of course...”

“Of course, of course! Whatever the gossips say, I am not so desperate as to seduce an usher.”

“Calm yourself, Judith. I will handle explaining this to your father when he arrives. His letter said he would be arriving in a day or so. I will clarify the matter with him.”

Judith was too angry to speak. Angry and hurt. How could her father think so little of her? Bonnie could see that she’d get nothing else from the conversation. “I’m sorry, Judith. This is an idiotic situation. Leave it with me.”

“Thank you, mother.”

Bonnie’s mind raced. It was obvious Judith had not been trysting, yet mentioning the possibility made her blush. Moving her chair had been truth, so the only answer to why she blushed was the idea of an assignation with her escort, Nicolas. Something had happened; something between Nicolas and Judith, that night. That was the only explanation. Perhaps, her daughter wasn’t merely infatuated, but truly smitten with the fox. It was too much; too hope-filled a possibility to even dream about. A small nudge couldn’t hurt.

Before Judith closed the door, Bonnie called out. “Judith?”

“Yes?”

“It’s past dusk, but perhaps a turn about the garden would help? The fresh air may ease your nerves.”

“Yes. I think I shall.”

Some minutes later, Judith left the manor and began wandering through the formal gardens. It was a cool evening and the moon was bright. For all her doubts, her mother had been correct. The fresh air was indeed soothing. As she perambulated, she almost passed something by that was too engaging to ignore. On the heels of her conversation with her mother, it was enrapturing. She had to fight in order to keep her mind from wandering to him when he was absent. When he was present, all her energies went to maintaining her manners. Here and now, there were no others whom she needed to impress, or behave well for. Just herself and the good Mr. Wilde, who was sitting on a bench in the moonlight, reading. The young rabbit found she could not help herself, but approach.

The fox jumped slightly, when she stopped admiring his form in the moonlight and spoke. “Mr. Wilde?”

“Miss Hopps! Good grief, you gave me a fright.”

“A difficult thing to do. You are usually very attentive to your surroundings.”

“My surroundings usually require such awareness, as my duties center on them. In the gardens, at this hour, I had thought I was alone and unlikely to be disturbed.”

“I didn’t mean to interrupt your reading.”

“You haven’t. It’s rather dull, to be honest. Chaucer of Canterburrow.”

“I had no idea you were a reader of the classics.”

“A somewhat guilty pleasure, I’m afraid. I enjoy the tales of chivalry.”

“Quite the romantic time.”

“Not counting the dragons, of course.”

Judith giggled, then feeling forward she asked, “Mr. Wilde, if I could press upon you to postpone your reading, I feel the need to continue my stroll.”

“You wish me to accompany you, Miss?”

“Yes, but I desire an escort through the gardens, not an attendant.”

“I believe I am up to the task.”

“The confidence of a would-be knight?”

“To quote a famous brigand, “Faint heart never won fair lady.” I am no knight, but aspire to be a gentleman. I could not allow you young lady to wander alone at night in such dangerous conditions as a manor house’s formal gardens.”

So saying, Nicolas tucked away his book under one arm and offered his other to Judith, who took it grinning and stayed closer to him that propriety would normally allow. Their meander was not long. The evening grew chilly and Mr. Wilde insisted they return to the manor before she caught a chill. He accompanied her as far as her door, where she offered her paw, as before. He took it, but his hesitation was not missed by the young doe.

“A problem, Mr. Wilde?”

“No, Miss Hopps. I feel I owe an apology to you for overstepping myself when last we were in this position.”

“Mr. Wilde, you owe me no apologies.” Judith didn’t know if it was her talk with her mother, or the memory of their last parting at the same place, but she felt strong and brazen in his presence. “In fact, if it is not repeated I will be quite cross with you.”

The fox was struck dumb by her words and the blaze of affection in her eyes. So much so, he could think of nothing else but to follow her suggested course of action. He pressed his lips to her paw and felt her grip his own in return. A swell of emotion rolled through him and he lifted his eyes to hers. “As, M’lady wishes.”

Seeing the fox’s face so close to her own, she didn’t think. She merely acted. Before he could withdraw, she stepped forward, placing her other paw on his forearm, stilling him. She levered herself up and placed a delicate kiss on his cheek, before he realized what was happening. She smiled, seeing his expression. “Miss Hopps?”

She slipped her paw out of his stunned grip and opened her door. As she glided through she looked back at the beautiful fox and said, “Good night, Mr. Wilde.”, before closing the door.

“Good night, Miss Hopps.” Nick replied to the door.

Chapter Text

Stuart Hopps was not unused to disappointments. He was a politician, a farmer, a social mammal of distinction; all employments which had their share of let-downs. Politics was a game of lies, farming was a venture at the mercy of the elements, being a socialite meant gossip. There was no end of dashed hopes in any of those areas, but he did not allow such trifles to upset him unduly. He soldiered on and made do. He did quite well for himself.

One area of his life where disappointments were few was his home. His beloved wife had been the greatest and most glorious surprise he had ever been privy to. She was everything he could have dreamed of in a spouse and a friend. Despite being from a small, wild family from the continent, she was his match and their life together had been happy.

Sadly, the greatest disappointments came from one area. Fittingly, the same place as his greatest fears: his children. A marriage negotiation fallen through was one of the most painful experiences he'd ever had. Not that he blamed anyone but himself in those cases. It simply bore to the front of his mind another reminder of his duty and frailty. He had a responsibility to his descendants, not just his House and family name. Each time a blow was dealt to one of their futures it frightened him. He worked very hard to provide them an idyllic pastoral world for their youth and gentled them into the grimness of the world, when it was time.

He was grateful to whichever divinity watched over them that his failures in that regard had been few and most had been quickly righted. There was, however, one of his children whose future cost him sleep far too often and had for far too long.

“I know you are not in favor of this plan of mine, but it is necessary. It's also Judith's best chance to have a future.” Bonnie stated.

“I mislike this plan of yours, Bonnie. I mislike it very much.” Stuart groused, in turn.

“It is not ideal, but what else is there? Give me an alternative and I will pursue it, wholeheartedly. Has there been any luck in finding her a husband?”

“None. No one speaks ill of her, but no one wants her as a daughter-in-law, either,” the buck groused.

“Then what else is there?”

“I do not like seeing her exiled and made a sacrifice for the family!”

“We are all sacrifices! I did not want to leave my family's home any more than you wanted to claim the Lordship! Yet, we have both been happy these many years. Our sacrifices have not been in vain and will soon end, Stuart. There is a chance for Judith.”

“A chance, yes, but what you propose...”

“Will provide a future for her. Not a glorious one and likely very lonely, but a future nonetheless. She will have the support she will need.”

Stuart grumbled and began scratching his ear. It was a nervous tic that told her she had won. With no prospects for marriage, her only chance was within the family. It was not a bright future with a husband and kits, for a lady of a House who found herself in such a place, but they would be provided for. Hence Stuart’s displeasure. He wanted all of his children to settle happily into marriage with a good match and have a family, but it simply wasn’t always possible. It was sad, but thankfully Bonnie had an ace to play. It simply required finesse to play it well.

She allowed him to chew on his displeasure until he was ready to continue the conversation. She held the reins, but had to do his part and pull. He changed topic, just as she knew he would and she let him. The dear buck had no stomach for discussing his kits’ pain. It was an irony that Lord Hopps, in discussing his daughter’s bleak future was also unwittingly laying the foundation for its salvation.

“What of Nicolas, now? You wanted to change his role in the House in your last letter. Make him Steward of the House?”, Lord Hopps grumbled.

“It is high time we looked to him. He has served us for twenty years as butler in name only. By practical terms, he already is the Steward of House Hopps. He has fulfilled the duties of same in addition to his own for years, not to mention all else.”

“You propose to make a fox the Steward of a High House, held by his natural prey. He would be second in power only to you and myself!”

“Is it his species, or the fact of change that upsets you? Stuart, he has served loyally for two decades and has saved your life as well as my own and our children’s many times, at the risk of his own. His loyalty is absolute. You've seen his devotion first paw!”

“I have. I say, though, his loyalty is to you, but he has served us both well and without complaint.”

“He has earned this promotion. It is high time he gain the rewards for his service. This will raise him from being a servant to a gentleman and invest him directly in the family. He will be able to pursue a marriage of his own. We need him, Stuart. We need him badly and you know it.”

“I do. You, darling wife, are the power in the family. I am... a figurehead. I know this and I accepted my role long ago. If you say we need him, I can not argue the point.”

“You give yourself too little credit. I have no gift for politics, just as you have no head for numbers. Nicolas is vital to us and not just as my catspaw. Do you think either you or I could have negotiated with the Fernskellers successfully?”

“They are foxes. It was only sensible to send Nicolas to attend to that.”

“Sensible and still unlikely to succeed. You or I would have failed, in spite of your influence and my subtlety. He succeeded and not because they were the same species. The Fernskellers are shrewd. They can squeeze a coin till it screams, but Nicolas got them to agree to our terms without revision in less than a month!”

“They have a daughter.”, Stuart commented in a considering tone. Bonnie smiled as she saw him slip further into place.

“Yes, but not one they would allow to wed a servant, no matter the House they serve. Nicolas as Steward of this house would have a chance to pursue the Fernskeller vixen, or some other. As a gentleman with a plot of Hopps family land for income to support a family; he would marry within the year and be bound to us and happily so for the rest of his life.” Her husband’s unhappiness was palpable. “Dear buck, I know this pains you.”

“No, Bon. I do not begrudge Nicolas his rewards. He has earned them. I am... worn. The years in my position have taken their toll. I recall when you brought him here and began his training. It was many years ago, but feels like hours and centuries in the same moment.”

“Six more years, my love. In six years, four if we are fortunate, the title can be passed to Terrance or Robert. They are both capable bucks and their wives are suitable. Then, we can retire and finally enjoy a little peace at the cottage. You can write your memoirs and I will devote myself to seeing the rest of our children betrothed.”

“It sounds like a far-off dream. This Indos valley situation is becoming quite a mess.”

“Worse than anticipated?”

“Much. Our faction is holding together, but the pressure from the pro-war and expansionist factions is increasing. Their support is growing as the guilds and neutral parties see either opportunity, or benefit. If we lose the majority, it will come to war. Too many Houses are looking to me as a bulwark. I fear it will see me painted a target.”

“Surely, they would not resort to bloodying their paws over this.”

“I am unsure it hasn't already happened. Two Lords have changed their positions after incidents involving their families. One infidelity scandal and an assault by mammals unknown. I suspect blackmail is common currency.”

“Where blackmail begins, bloodshed follows.” The old saying reflected her disquiet at such news. “Do you think it is a threat to us?”

“It is unlikely, but… There is wealth in warfare. A few dead bodies is a small price to the unscrupulous. Yes, my dear, we must presume the worst.”

“I will attend to it. Now, I will speak to Judith and then we will speak to Nicolas. All will be well, Lord Hopps.”

Lady Hopps wasted no time in seeking out her daughter. It was fortunate that the young doe was so sentimental in her character. She was found in the gardens, very near the site of her evening stroll with the butler. She was so predictable at times and prone to basking in fond memories. In this case, it was to her benefit. Bonnie located her daughter and briskly settled on the bench next to her.

“Judith, I must speak with you.”

“Mother, are you well?”

“Well, yes, but harried. I need to speak with you.”

“You said as much, but the urgency of your arrival leads me to believe you are unsettled.”

“Not unsettled. As I said, harried. Judith, I have just spoken to your father.”

“I see.”

“Now, don’t look so put upon. You haven’t even heard what we spoke about.”

“Taking into account our conversation from the other day, I believe I can guess.”

“You would be incorrect, daughter, at least in part. We did discuss the rumors, but that was a matter of moments, only. The majority of my conversation with your father had to do with something more serious.”

“Very well. Apologies, mother.”

“Judith, you concern me. You will be twenty-five in a matter of months. You have no suitors. We are working to assure your future and you treat us as though we are punishing you.”

“That is not my intention.”

“Then, I do not understand.”

“I am not against the idea of marriage, merely the limitation it presents. If I am to marry, I would have it be to a male who respects my desire to be more than the one who keeps house and bears children. I have met few who would even provide me the pretense.”

“So, you would rather not marry and live your life?”

“I know it is not what you and father wish, but I see no other recourse. I can not bring myself to pretend to be what I am expected to be. It would bring misery to me and those around me. If that means that I become a spinster, then... well, then I must.”

“That is what I thought you would say.”

“I’m sorry, mother. I am a burden on the House.”

“At present, you are. However, I have already spoken with Stuart and we have elected to remedy that. You have not failed me or anyone else, let alone the House and you may yet do us all proud, as you always do. There are ample scions of this family to carry on the name. I had hoped we would one day find a husband who could provide for you, perhaps make you happy. Now that I see your resolve, we must provide for your future another way.”

“Another way?”

“Judith... Judy, what do you know of my family?”

“Not very much. They were said to be eccentrics. Wild blooded.”

“They were. The bucks of my line were poets and philosophers, hedonists and rabbits willing to speak unpopular truths. They also welcomed non-prey species. The does were best known for three things. Having few litters, outliving their husbands and loving predators. Judith, your father's inheritance of the lordship was hinged upon marrying me. The other families wanted to blunt the fire in my bloodline by wedding me to what they considered my opposite. They pressured my family into it.”

“I had heard there was some unpleasantness.”

“Yes... but did you hear the other side of it?”, Bonnie asked with a smirk.

Now, Judith was curious. Secrets and mysteries were her passion. The possibility of secret in her own family was too much to bear! “What other side?”

“Your father married me to tame my family, but I was sent to enliven his. In the 200 years prior to our marriage, do you know what his family accomplished?” Judith shrugged and shook her head in reply. “Nothing. They were perfect country nobility. They tended the land, had no firm opinions and married their second cousins. They were dull to the point of embarrassment, almost extinction. Stuart was the last scion of the House that came from a line untainted by stagnant blood. Now, look at us. A huge family and thriving. Hopps is a name of consequence!”

“I see that you both were more as one than either were separate, but what does that mean for me?”

“Judith, you have the blood of my family more strongly than anyone else. You are fiercely independent and willful. It has been too long since one of my family was in residence at my family's home.”

“I don't understand.”

“Daughter, you will soon be too old to find a husband, so I will provide another way for you to live and pursue your own happiness. You will learn to manage estates and undertake the supervision of my family's chateau and lands on the continent. In that way, you will have a secure future and more freedom to do as you please than you would ever enjoy here.”

“I... I have no education for this! How can I hope to live on my own in such a way?”

“You will have help. Those that served my family when I was sent to this strange land to be a bride still tend the lands. I will see to it that you are properly introduced. In the meantime, your lack of education must be remedied. Now, come. We must speak with your father about this and another matter which concerns you.”

Nicolas was unconcerned when he heard the summoning bell from Lord Hopps' study. It was a room seldom used, even in an unofficial capacity. Were it the Lady's study, he would be filled with apprehension. As it was her husband's, the most Nicolas felt would be needed was a fresh pot of ink, or perhaps some tea. If Lord Hopps was especially agitated, he might have some pointlessly menial task foisted upon him. What he was not expecting was that the Lord and Lady of the House would be present with a daughter of the House. Least of all the young lady who had managed to put his severely out of sorts for several weeks. His walls slammed into place the moment he recognized the potential danger he was in.

"Nicolas, we are aware of a problem in this house."

Bonnie's eyebrows rose in response to her husband's tone. It was unusual for the buck to sound so gruff. Their talk earlier must have bothered him more than she realized. It was very amusing to her to see the milquetoast she loved acting the bull, until she felt Judith tense next to her on the sofa. The fear in her daughter's expression spoke to a second unforeseen effect of her dear, foolish buck's opening statement. Now, both Nicolas and Judith feared negative consequences for their romance, despite the fact it was unknown to the Lord. The children weren't to know that and the aftermath of such a relationship being known would be catastrophic!

"Two problems, in fact."

Stuart was aware he sounded far angrier than he was. He still had his dander up from speaking with Lady Hopps, earlier. He was enervated. The House and Parliament, Judith's future, Nicolas's service, impending war and the subsidiary influences. So much filling his belabored senses. He was not expressing himself clearly, but he was the Lord. He had to maintain his dignity. If that meant a play of bravado, then so be it.

"My darling wife has brought to my attention a number of concerns that center on you two."

By now, Nicolas was certain he would be dismissed, possibly horsewhipped and driven from the property. His career, such as it was, was over. Judith was torn between fleeing the room in humiliation and running to Nicolas in support. All that stopped her was her mother's paw resting on her own. Bonnie was shocked to stillness and could only watch as the situation unraveled before her.

Stuart paused and looking around saw the tension in the room. Realizing he'd turned the room into a morass of anxiety, he sagged.

"Oh, sod it."

Before the confused gazes of the other three mammals in the room, Stuart loosened the collar of his shirt, walked to his favorite chair in the study and flopped into it.

"Nicolas, pour two scotches from the sideboard, if you please."

The confused fox hadn't an inkling what to make of this turn of events, but followed his orders. The abrupt shift in his employer's demeanor had thrown him and his expectations quite neatly. When he had poured the measures, he made to serve Lady Hopps, but Stuart forestalled him.

"The second is for you. Bring it here and sit, if you please."

Stunned, again, Nicolas could only comply and served Lord Hopps, before collecting his own glass and claiming a seat opposite. All this was highly irregular. Correction, this was unprecedented! Mr. Wilde, for the first time, felt out of his depth in dealing with the Lord of the manor.

"Mr. Wilde, do you know what happens when a doe rabbit remains unmarried beyond her twenty-fifth year?"

"To my knowledge, her dowry is placed in holding against her living expenses. If she weds, whatever remains of her dowry passes to her at that time.

"Quite. Nicolas, do you know what happens when the dowry runs out?"

"The family supports the daughter, or finds some other means of doing so. I hear nunneries are a popular solution."

"Exactly. Nicolas, Judith is almost of that age. She has no prospects and does not desire to pursue finding more, including ecclesiastical devotions. As such, we are left with her future to consider. We have decided to place my wife's family's lands under her care, that she may live supporting and supported by the House."

"A tidy solution, my lord."

"Tidy, yes, but not without its challenges. You see, Judith lacks training in such work. Her birthday is three months hence and neither I nor Lady Hopps can be spared to see to rectifying this deficit."

"I would suggest a tutor, but as you have called me in, I presume I to take it I will play a role in this?"

"In such circumstances, do you know whom would be responsible for undertaking such a task in place of the lord or lady of the House?"

Mr. Wilde was finding the Lord’s continuous redirection of the conversation irritating. There was a point to this. There had to be and he prayed they would find it soon. Preferably without any further mishap. "Under common practice, it would be the Steward of the House, or by older custom, the seneschal. However, House Hopps has not felt the need for such a role, to my knowledge."

At this point, Lady Hopps joined the conversation. "Until now. Nicolas, we have not felt the need because it was unnecessary. That has changed."

"In what way?"

Bonnie sighed and smiled in fond annoyance at the fox. "Until now, you have undertaken almost every aspect of that role yourself, while remaining a mere butler."

Lord Hopps cut back in, obviously hoping to conclude the conversation quickly. "Which is no longer necessary. Your service as butler of House Hopps is ended."

The world stopped for Judith and Nicolas. Bonnie stared with increasing agitation at her husband as he sipped his drink. She was positively irate by the time he swallowed and finished his thought. "We will find a suitable replacement once you have acclimated to your new responsibilities."

Bonnie saw the confusion on everyone's faces but her husband's and her patience finally wore out. "Husband, you have spent too long politicking. Your circumlocution has managed to lose your audience completely."

Stuart finally looked up from ruminating on his glass and noticed the fox staring blankly and Judith anxiously. "Oh, I... Apologies. Let me be plain."

"It will be quite the novel experience," Bonnie chirped. Stuart shot a sharp look at his wife who was unimpressed.

"Nicolas, as of now you are Steward of this House. You will receive a parcel of Hopps farmland for income and upon further consideration, an orchard as well." At that, Bonnie's eyes popped. It more than doubled the value of what she had marked out for the fox' endowment. Nicolas was speechless and Judith simply goggled at her father. "You will have a week to set the House to rights before undertaking the Judith's education. Lady Hopps and I have arranged a tour of the northern estates to act as your classroom."

Mr. Wilde finally found his voice. "A tour of the north properties would take weeks on my own. If I am to use it as a tutorial foray, it will take months, my lord."

"You have three. You will return before her birthday and then assist us with preparing her ... rustication."

"Father, am I to take this to mean I am being exiled from the family?"

Bonnie answered, "Yes, and no, my dear. It is common practice in these cases for a short period of isolation to be endured, rather like a socially mandated penance. You will be sent away for a time, perhaps a year, as your "punishment". It will be a mere formality. In that period, you will assume control of the properties we discussed and settle yourself. After that, you will be free to return, or come and go as you please."

"So, we are using a social exile to our benefit." Judith reasoned aloud.

Her mother was pleased at both calm Judith displayed and her expedient comprehension. "Precisely."

Meanwhile, Nicolas was digesting this entirely unforeseen turn of events. "My lord, I am... beyond words. You have my gratitude."

"Then, enough words." Stuart raised his glass. "To your good health, Mr. Wilde."

"And to yours, Lord Hopps."

Both mammals drank and set the empty glasses to the side. Lord Hopps rose and collected his wife, making ready to leave. Before departing, he absentmindedly turned and spoke to Judith and Nicolas.

"I suggest you two spend some time getting better acquainted. It will be only each other for company for some time, once your journey begins."

As the door shut behind Lord and Lady Hopps, Judith's ears flamed red. Her father's comment seemed to increase the heat of the room to that of the sun itself. She was vexed with her father for misleading them, unintentionally or not, but his parting comment took all the fire in her and redirected it to her cheeks and ears.

She had known the likeliest outcome of her life for years. It was not a shock to have it finally come to bear. Once she had grasped it and come to terms with it, a life serving the family did not concern her. However, all thought of futures and responsibilities was blasted from her mind as she understood the reality of her immediate situation. Not the menial details, but the one point of brilliant light in her world. For close to three months, she would be alone and unchaperoned in the exclusive company of Mr. Wilde.

Nicolas, for his part, had managed to stay composed until after the Lord and Lady had departed. Then, riding the emotional peaks and valleys caught up with him and he had to sit. Judith had never seen the fox so flustered, or unguarded in his expression. His joy was radiant and infectious. Her own smile could not help but reflect his own.

The enormity of what the day had brought him continued to roll over him as he digested his turn of fortune. He was no longer a mere servant. He would have more money than he had ever dared to dream of. He was a mammal of consequence! It was more than he had ever aspired to! Worlds of opportunity were open to him now that we're closed and impossible only an hour ago. Investment, pursuit of his own interests, even land of his own was possible in time!

At that moment, he looked up. He saw Judith and all his thoughts on his interests took on a new light. His heart began to speed. After a moment he remembered himself and pulled together his composure and deportment. He still had company and manners were always paramount.

Their eyes met just for a moment and, yet again, he felt entirely out of his depth. It was an uncomfortable pattern he was seeing. She slowly padded to where he was sitting and placed a paw on his arm. Her voice was low and rich with teasing possibilities as she all but sang, "It seems I will be in your care, Mr. Wilde."

Chapter Text

It was a tumultuous week for Mr. Wilde, Steward of House Hopps. Not so much for the labors necessary to prepare the House for his absence, but for the insistence of Lord Hopps that he and his pupil for this journey spend a considerable amount of time together each day. There was a quality of the fantastical to the entire situation. He was not a superstitious mammal, but he had chosen to leave a dish of cream and fresh fruit next to a dish of scones, on his windowsill. He did not believe in the legends of the Fae any more than the gibberings of the priesthood, but he felt it couldn't hurt. If he had a fairy godmother, like in the kits' tales, he wanted to show his appreciation.

If he was honest, he had suspected Lady Hopps of arranging this absurdly fortuitous situation. That was, until he saw the look of shock on her face when her Lord Husband mentioned the orchard, and again when he suggested he and the young Judith spend time together to get acquainted. It couldn't be her paw at work in this, could it?

Unfortunately, he had little time to ponder. The Lord and Lady had gifted him with funds on the occasion of his promotion so that he could outfit himself properly in accordance with his new station. It was at once a delight and a burden. The tailors were craftsmammals of high repute and the garments would be of fine quality, but he had many nights' work ahead of him adjusting them to accommodate his less publicized demands.

He may have a new rank, but his primary purpose was to the House and Her as a defender of lives. servant uniform would suffice for the interim, but he needed his concealments and subtleties in his new wardrobe. He felt an increased sense of urgency, as well; both to prove he had earned his new position and to assure the protection of his charge. She was a lady he had come to value far more than he would admit aloud and he would see his own death before her harm.

Judith, in turn, had taken to her preparation with much greater ease. She was used to traveling as a representative of the House. The capacity was slightly different on this occasion, which presented challenges, but those were easily handled by enduring her father's blustering and then asking her mother for advice. All that she would need was prepared days before she was due to depart.

Lady Hopps was proud of both of them. Nicolas, she knew would take to his responsibilities with a gusto that would be a credit to the House and her teaching. Judith was the surprise. Bonnie had never expected her little Judy to take to her changed circumstances with such grace or readiness. It was as though the little doe had just been waiting patiently all this time to bloom into a gentlewoman of poise and gravitas. Watching her manage her father's attempts to assist was inspiring.

Even more so was the blossoming of the romance between the two. Each night after dinner the two were sent off by Lord Hopps' order to enjoy each other's company. It was an obvious novelty to have Nicolas sitting at table with them, rather than at the door to the kitchens, managing the meals, but it was a lovely sight. All Bonnie's work in training the cheeky kit had bourn fruit. His manners were impeccable, conversation skills superb and presence enlivening. She had seldom seen her husband enjoy a meal more than when Nicolas had weighed in on the state of the Indos Valley crisis. Watching her husband and the fox debating influences and positing solutions which Lord Hopps considered seriously was a joy! It caused Judith to forget the soup course entirely.

It also made a great many of her other children reconsider the fox's character. Once their initial reticence was overcome the debate had all but raged through the meal. If tempers flared, a silvered word from Nicolas was just as effective as her husband's bellowing, or her own sharp remonstrations. She swore Judith would have said more if she could have shaken herself out of staring at her soon-to-be tutor. It was a wonder her husband remained oblivious to what had grown between them.

The night before the two were due to depart, he had to satisfy her curiosity. She tracked her wandering Buck down in the lounge and had a quiet word.

"Stuart?"

"Hm?"

"I must ask. Why did you gift Nicolas with the orchard in addition to the fields we had discussed previously?"

A moment of sheepishness passed over his features. "I'm sorry, my dear. It was impulsive of me. Does it weigh on the finances too severely?"

"No! Good lord, no. The House and family will not suffer for it unduly. I am still curious why you did so, however."

"As I said, impulse." Bonnie's stare bore through him and he was sweating in moments. "Oh, very well. It was pride. I recalled what you said about his service and what he earned. Dashed if I'll let it be said I am ungenerous to those that serve this House well. The lands you set aside for him were a great endowment, but... for what he's done, I will not let it be said such service was rewarded on the lean."

Bonnie couldn't believe her ears. She had half convinced herself he knew of the relationship between Judith and Nicolas. Yet, it was just the image of the House and pleasing her that had taken hold of her husband, the lovable oaf.

"You are indeed generous and I adore you for it. I have set the papers to order. Mr. Wilde will be a wealthy fox in our employ from tomorrow onward."

Stuart's happiness at pleasing her was as clear as day. She did love the buck. For all his flaws, he was a good mammal and cared well for her and their kits. He cared so much, he needed an extra handkerchief when Judith finally departed the following morning. Watching the carriage pull away, she could only look on fondly and distract him.

"Stuart, compose yourself."

“I’m sorry, my dear.”

“It is only three months, dear buck. Enough time for a litter.”

“Bon?”

“Do not worry yourself, husband. It is not Judith you should concern yourself with, or myself. ::knowing her husband's love of kits, it was only too easy.:: I got word today. Abagail, Lucile and Amanda are all expecting. In a few months, you will have grandkits visiting. A whole new Hopps fluffle will form on Hopps' lands.”

“Good lord...”

“Now, are you looking forward to the next few months?”

“Certainly!”

Meanwhile, in the carriage the mood was full of delighted anticipation on one part and pleased discomfort on the other. Judith was embarking on a new beginning and in the best company she could ask for. Whereas, Mr. Wilde was finally able to fully grasp the unforeseen turns in his fortune. His life had steadily improved over the last several months and not the least of it owing to the involvement of the young lady sitting opposite him; the young lady who was lovely in the morning light and in his charge.

Unbeckoned, his oath rose to his mind.

I serve the House of Hopps. None shall harm my charge.

Never had that statement of purpose been more meaningful to the fox. Lady Judith Hopps had become precious to him and as much as her life was in his paws, now so too was her future. It was a weight he had never seen, even in an afternoon's dreaming. It brought to the forefront of his mind other futures; ones impossible to attain even with his altered circumstances.

The fox's ruminations were interrupted when Judith's hindpaw found his own. In the confines of their carriage, there was little space to spare. It was by no means uncomfortable. Quite cozy, actually, and very easy for limbs to brush if a mammal was to let their mind wander.

"Apologies, Miss Hopps.", Nick said as he shifted his legs.

"Whatever for?", she replied as her paw found his again.

"Miss Hopps, we have a long journey together ahead of us. Are you sure this is how you wish it to begin?"

"Mr. Wilde, I have much to learn for the sake of doing my family proud and only a matter of weeks to accomplish this fear. However, I do plan to enjoy this trip. Every second of it."

Nicolas swallowed his words in the face of her thinly veiled statement of purpose and intense expression. They needed to have a conversation and soon, but perhaps it would be best to have that conversation in the privacy of their lodgings for the evening. That way the driver would be less likely to eavesdrop. In the mean time, Mr. Wilde decided, he could indulge himself in the fantasy that this wasn't just a flash in the pan. The feeling of such casual contact thrilled him and filled his head with a bittersweet longing. He knew it would have to end, but until it did he would enjoy it.

Chapter Text

Judith was surprised at the toll her new situation took on her, even from the first day. It was far more exhausting than she had anticipated. Her previous travels for social obligations were one thing, but this was an entirely different experience. An hour or two by carriage was to be expected and, compared to her current circumstances, a relative pleasure, no matter the company.

The first day was quite a bit busier than she had anticipated. In spite of her history of traveling on family business, she was not prepared. Garden parties, formal dinners and the occasional ball, all within a day’s slow carriage ride were tiring in their own ways. However, they paled in comparison to the demands of her first day touring with Mr. Wilde. Several hours by carriage saw them to their first stop, a small farmstead that didn’t even warrant a name. There, she observed Mr. Wilde’s conversation with the steader and reviewed their books. All in all, it was a very full morning.

Over lunch, she and her escort discussed his meeting and the books. He was very different an instructor than her tutors she had growing up. Rather than posit facts and expected memorization, he asked questions and guided her to conclusions. She had to make the steps herself. It was a very challenging experience for her. It was also mentally demanding and, therefore, draining. Following their meal, they returned to the road and made their way to another farmstead of similar character to the first. Their visit there was shorter and the lesson afterwards was held in the carriage.

Their supper and lodgings for the night were in a respectable inn outside Podunk. Judith was asleep moments after her head hit the pillow. She barely bothered to undress. The second day was very similar to the first.

Mr. Wilde did his best to accommodate his companion as they made a circuit of the nearer lands held by her family. It was two to three weeks of early nights after days of hard work and travel. He was used to the schedule. For him, it was relatively easy. In fact, it was far lighter than his typical workload. For Judith, it was obviously grueling. Much to his delight, she adapted.

As the days passed, he watched her grow more comprehending of her lessons. Before long, rather than simply observing, she was the one sitting at the books as he guided her through them. She began to ask questions while they were with the steaders and other mammals involved with the family’s investments. Their stops got shorter. She was less drained at the end of each day and, eventually, they had time free after lessons. As she learned more, the speed with which she was able to comprehend the next lesson increased. It was most gratifying for the gentleman fox to see her progress.

It was at nearly the end of their first month of travel that they found themselves in a small inn, well north of anywhere Judith had ever been. It was quiet. There were few other travelers. It was likely to be their last meal in anything close to a town for several weeks. The following morning they were due to make for the outer rim of properties beholden to the Hopps’. The estates were larger and much farther apart. In some cases, they would have to travel for multiple days between destinations. Judith was looking forward to it.

In the weeks they had been together, they had spent little time together doing anything other than work. Judith was highly displeased at the lost time. She knew her future depended on learning to manage lands and mammals, but she hated to see such opportune time alone with Mr. Wilde go to waste simply because she was too tired. All too often she had been escorted to her room at whatever inn they stopped at, only to miss the chance to even flirt with him in favor of staggering to her bed.

Nicolas, for his part, was rather relieved. The overt display of interest his companion had shown upon their departure had unsettled him slightly. It was a welcome respite that she had been more focused on resting and her studies than pursuing him. He was not against her interest, merely her zeal. If he was honest with himself, he was also more than a little anxious of the long-term prospects for her interest. It was with that in mind that Nicolas joined Judith at table.

His anxiety was only fed as he took his seat, after settling her into her own. Their rooms were a suite with a joint common room, typical of what would be called the Noble’s Rooms at the inn; a master bedroom, a parlor and a room for the valet, or ladies maid. Very private. Too private for Nicolas’ comfort, considering Judith’s increased stamina.

Judith waited until the meal was served and the server departed before she engaged her partner. Rather, she would have if he hadn’t preempted her as they began to eat.

“I see you’re looking forward to the morrow, Miss Hopps.”

“I am. Now that I am not so fatigued by the work, I find I am enjoying it more and more.”

“I am glad to hear that. You have a respectable grasp of the basics of the work, but the upcoming weeks will require much more of you.”

Judith was not expecting that response and replied as much. “I was under the presumption that we would be refining my skills, but I had learned enough to handle myself decently.”

“You certainly have! I am quite pleased at your progress and you do in fact understand the essentials of the work. However, tomorrow, we are moving outside the direct sphere of influence of your parents and into more autonomous Hopps’ lands. That is a slightly different situation.”

“In what way, may I ask?”

“Do not sound so guarded, Miss Hopps. Your skills will continue to develop as far as the basics are concerned. Now, we will have to start developing your next set of skills.”

Judith suspected he was playing games, but he could also have been serious. “What set of skills, if I may inquire?”

“Subterfuge,” the fox replied with a wry grin.

Judith’s shock only lasted a moment. “I beg your pardon?”

“Miss Hopps, what is the reason all the books we have seen so far are in order?”

“Must we have another lesson, tonight? I had rather hoped for more pleasant conversation.”

Nicolas chuckled before replying. “You may yet get it, if you answer well.”

Judith couldn’t stop her smile. He was playing. “Very well. I would suspect because it’s lawful.”

“Oh, how very noble and very naive.”

“Mr. Wilde, I have worked very hard these past weeks and I am disinclined to endure your condescension. Why are all the books in order?”

“Very well, Miss Hopps. I suppose you’ve earned an easy answer. The reason they have all been in order is that the Hopps family has been less than a day’s travel from each of the steadings. If they wanted to an auditor could appear at any time. As such, it behooves the steaders and other mammals in charge to keep the books well. Irregularities will be discovered easily. As we move beyond this limitation, we will have to be on our guard.”

“Are we really so likely to find a thief among those employed by my family?”

“There are mammals who would take the opportunity presented by lower presence of supervision to benefit themselves surreptitiously. I doubt we will find many, but a touch of graft isn’t unheard of. We may yet find a bit.”

“What will we do when we find it?”

“If we find any, we will report any irregularities to your parents. They will send constables, or family guards to address the issue. We will not confront anyone engaged in questionable activities, as that could endanger us.”

“I’m quite sure of your capacity to protect us. I feel quite safe in your paws.”

“I have no doubt of that. Brigands, or an angry farmer, I can handle. However, I cannot defend us against all means of harm. Poison, for a start.”

“Is that likely?”

“No, but I will not take that risk when it comes to your safety.”

The blush that suffused her cheeks surprised her not at all, nor did her shortness of breath. Before she could reply, Nicolas commented over his wine glass, “Eat up, Miss Hopps. We are unlikely to enjoy such a fine repast for some time, after this evening.”

Judith composed herself and continued her meal. “So, why is it important that I learn subterfuge?”

“So that you may learn to spot it. So far, we have studied the farms and requirements for their functioning. If you are to manage lands, you must know every mammal's tasks and if they are being done well. That’s the easy part. The more subtle arts are just as important, if not more.”

“Subtle arts? Are you going to instruct me in painting, as well?”

“Sadly, I have no talent for high artistic endeavors. Instead, you will be learning communication, negotiation techniques, mammal management, the questions to ask depending on circumstance, how to maintain control and position in dealing with partners, how to properly apply pressure and more. Among the most important will be seeing flaws of logic and spotting lies, as well as proper steps in response. You’ll have to learn investigative techniques, methods of enforcing discipline. All kinds of things.”

“I must say, I am a touch overwhelmed at the prospect.”

“I am quite sure of your capacity to learn it all, Miss Hopps.”

“You flatter me.”

“Justifiably.” He countered with a grin.

With that, the conversation turned to lighter matters, including a point of curiosity for Judith. It was a conversation he barely took note of, but to her it was another surprising insight into the still-mysterious fox. She found it ironic that the more insight she gained, the more enigmatic he seemed, for all his increasing openness.

“Mr. Wilde, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

“By all means, Miss Hopps. I shall endeavor to answer.”

“I am aware that that this excursion is not without expense and that my parents arranged it.”

“That’s a statement, not a question.”

“Very witty, I’m sure, Monsieur Obvious. My question is, how are we financing our travels? My parents could not possibly have arranged for everything, especially at such relatively short notice. Also, there is the matter of incidental expenses and the fact that no matter how fast the courier, they could not have arranged for payment in advance at every establishment we have favored with our custom. Finally, few of the places we have stayed or favored would send to my father for repayment, after the fact. Therefore, you must have coin on you, but I have yet to see it. Explain, if you please?”

Nicolas sat back in his seat and regarded her for a moment before responding. Her statement was well considered and reasonable, intelligent and displayed as astute sense of observation. This was a development unforeseen in his estimations for at least some time. He simply had to prod her.

“I will answer, but I would like to hear the explanation you feel is most reasonable, based on your line of reasoning, first. If you please?”

Judith smiled before she answered. “Two options come to mind. Either, my parents gave you coin to take with us and you’ve been accessing it from wherever it’s hidden while I have been otherwise occupied, or the farmsteads are acting as banking stations for us as we travel and they are providing replenishment for our purse.”

Nicolas could not contain his laughter. It was perfect. Simply perfect reasoning. “By gods, Miss Hopps, that is excellent!” Judith beamed at the praise. “We did indeed receive a base endowment prior to leaving the Manor. We have also been supplemented by the farms we have visited. I have letters of introduction and instructions from your parents for each of the steaders.”

“That was part of what was in those correspondences,” Judith surmised.

“Quite so.” The fox was all but dripping pleasure at her success. He was surprised and intrigued at how well she had worked out the puzzle, both the asking and the answer. “The funds we receive from each locale we visit should be sufficient to fund out movements throughout the tour. However, your ever-cautious mother also had issued to us some several letters of credit, if we find ourselves in need of an emergency purse.”

Judith was exultant at the praise and confirmation of her suspicions. She could not resist pushing just a touch further. “Much like that purse she gave you after you protected us in the city, if I am not mistaken.”

“Miss Hopps, you excel yourself. Yes. Exactly.”

Red eared, red cheeked and feeling bold, the young lady pressed, “I simply must ask, Mr. Wilde. How did you return to the manor ahead of us? The laundering of your uniform must have taken at the least until morning. How did you manage it?”

The fox regarded his wine glass with a smirk. “I returned before you because I did not go to a guesting house, as ordered, Miss Hopps.”

That got her attention. She’d never heard of the fox disobeying an order from anyone, especially her mother. “What do you mean?”

“I left the constable’s station and went to the home of an acquaintance. He helped me clean myself up enough to return to the manor before dawn. I laundered my soiled garments myself, before I resumed my duties that day.”

“Then… What happened to the purse my mother gave you?”

“It ended up in her desk, less the cost of my fare to return to the manor.”

Now, Judith was well and truly confused. “Forgive me, Mr. Wilde. I assumed you had made use of it. Or at least…”

“…kept the balance?” He finished, for her. His sharp glance made her blush, but his chortle lessened the sting of being caught in such an unflattering assumption. “I can’t honestly blame you. I have no doubt that was the intent behind providing me with such an excessive sum.”

“My mother was overly generous?”

“She frequently is, in my experience. For what she gave me that night, I could have bought two weeks lodgings at a fine establishment and wanted for nothing in all that time.”

“Then, if it was a gift, why did you return it? Isn’t that a bit… discourteous of you?”

“Oh, yes. I am quite sure it is, but it is a game she and I have played since she first employed me. She was always too giving, so I would sneak what I didn’t need back to her. I swear, we have exchanged the same coin at least ten score times, over the years.”

That night, Judith went to her bed, with her mind whirling, yet again, because of the good Mr. Wilde. His fond smile as he spoke of her mother was jarring, but did not make her jealousy flare. She wondered, not for the first time, what history the two shared and how it had shaped the mammal she was so smitten with. It was a mystery she would unravel one day at a time, but this day was one she would consider a success. Not only for her discoveries and his game of frugality with Lady Hopps, but also for the conclusion of their evening.

The food and wine had been rich and satisfying. They had both indulged themselves slightly more than they ought, by proper manners. However, they were not with any company other than themselves ad it had been far too long since they had spent any leisure time together. As the candles burned down and the firelight danced on the walls, Judith’s boldness grew. While she had lost time to her lack of conditioning, it was no longer an impediment. She had some weeks ahead of her yet, but those would end all too quickly.

With the fortification of her meal and its accompanying libation, she felt she was able to finally press forward, closing the distance to the fox. She hoped to feel his lips on her paw again and renew what she had once fervently hoped would soon become a tradition between them. After the first taste, it had become practically an addiction.

As they concluded their evening together and Nicolas escorted her the short distance to her bedchamber, the prospect thrilled her. Judith knew it was likely he could be pressed into kissing her paw, but she was left breathless when he grasped her paw with no goading at all and pressed his lips to it. When she moved to kiss his cheek, he did not resist and surprised her again by retaining her paw.

He met her eyes with his own and the firelight danced in them as he softly said, “Miss Hopps, in light of our conversation this evening, I feel the need to ask a question of you.”

“Another, Mr. Wilde?

“Another, Miss Hopps,” the fox replied with a grin. “One that has weighed on my mind for some time. A kiss on the paw being returned by a kiss on the cheek. It is an unbalanced exchange, is it not?”

“It is not,” she firmly replied.

“How so?” Nicolas queried.

Judith smiled as she answered. “As you taught me, an exchange is unbalanced if the value of the exchange is not even, as seen by both parties.”

“I do not see the exchange as even.”

“I do.”

“You value a kiss to your paw as the same as a kiss to the cheek?” Nicolas inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“I value a kiss to the paw from you as equal to a kiss to the cheek from me.”

“You undervalue the worth of what you offer.”

“No. I simply hold your offerings in such high regard.”

Nicolas steeled himself. The wine was making it too easy for him to ask the questions he dared not, otherwise. To his every attempt at levity, her responses were sincere and solid as bedrock. It frightened him, both for her earnest display of emotion and the reaction it sparked in his own. Almost as though his voice had a will of its own, he asked, “Miss Hopps, were I to kiss your cheek, what then would you offer in exchange?”

Judith smiled softly as she reached up and caressed his cheek; her amaranthine eyes blazing in the firelight. “Mr. Wilde, when you find the initiative to do so, you'll find out,” and she was gone.

Nicolas Wilde, stood stock still for a moment, regarding the door before him. Conflict roiled within him. He was sure and certain if he pressed, she would welcome him. Such a turn of events was the stuff of fantasy. At least, it had been. Now, he could no longer claim the desire was not mutual.

As he made himself ready for his bed, he made himself face two simple facts. The first being their desires were mutual. The second being that soon, very soon, they would not have to concern themselves with eavesdroppers. Come morning, they would be finding their beds not in well-traveled inns, but on the very farms they visited. There would be fewer wagging tongues and greater privacy. Very soon, he would have no excuses left and the last thing he would ever do was disappoint her. With that thought ringing in his mind Nicolas slipped into dreams, eager for the morrow.

Chapter Text

The week following their last night in a town was a torture, each suffering sweetly in different manners. They still had lessons to cover and miles to travel each day. Try as he might, Nicolas was unable to keep his student, such as she was, contained. She seemed to delight in derailing his train of thought. Not lewdly, or through any form of impropriety. At least, none that would be visible to any observer. To the casual passerby, or even more focused scrutiny, they appeared to be nothing more than a vexed instructor and a dubiously remorseful student. It was a circumstance every parent or journeyman knew all too well.

Sitting across from each other in the carriage, Nicolas posed questions and guided her thoughts as necessary to the appropriate solutions, while Judith listened and considered before presenting her answers. Bystanders barely spared them a glance and the driver ignored their prattling after the first dozen paces, focusing on the road ahead instead of the chatter behind.

Surreptitiously, there was a subtle battle being waged. Judith took Mr. Wilde’s question that evening in the inn as a declaration of intent from him and her reply a definitive invitation. That night, she barely slept for her uncertain hope his pursuit would be immediately forthcoming. When it was not, her disappointment was mild and her surprise was absent. It would have been highly imprudent considering they had other guests in the hotel. It did, however, spur her enthusiasm for the following day. She was desperately eager that first day to see him follow through.

He did not. Nicolas did not even seek to lay a paw upon her. Not that final night in civilization, nor the following day after their morning inspection at the flour mills. She even went so far as to offer him an opportunity while they inspected the waterwheel. He did not avail himself of it. At that, she elected to dispense with any more subtlety than was absolutely necessary. This led to considerable amusement for her and discomfort for him.

Nicolas, on the other paw, was confounded. Tested and struggling to maintain what little of his composure he was allowed by his pursuer. Under the cover of her skirts and the sides of the carriage Judith’s hind paws roamed. They often found his paws and other parts of him, which he found uncomfortable in a public setting. His attempts to avoid her were foiled largely by the confinements of the carriage itself. The remainder came to naught owing to her deviousness. The carriage rides became a chess game he found taxing and yet not without its thrill.

Unfortunately for the fox, that was only the beginning of the game. For four days they had visits scheduled at larger manufactory farms and mills in the mornings, while the afternoons and evenings were spent in travel. The rooms they had were with the families who ran the facilities and they were not often alone, let alone rooms in any proximity to one another. That effectively curtailed the vulpine’s ability to act, while vexing the rabbit. In response, Judith merely intensified her behaviors.

While performing inspections, or reviewing the books, it seemed to Mr. Wilde that she manufactured ways to tease him. It was the same game as in the carriage, played with position and tone, instead of purely physical touch. It was no less tortuous. How she stood and where, what she said and how, even asking him to pass an ink pot took on a complexion more suited to the boudoir than any kind of classroom. Her displays were nothing not to be expected of an enthusiastic young lady in a new environment and at first Mr. Wilde had though himself simply delusional. He was certain she was both teasing and in full awareness of her actions when she very clearly brushed his paw with her hip as she passed him the morning of their second day roughing it. It only became more pervasive as the days passed.

The first few nights they stayed on the properties themselves Nicolas was spared active pursuit, but the separation afforded him no relief. What actions she took during the days lingered in his memory, once the day was ended. Several good hours of much needed rest were lost to fantastical daydreams. Nicolas was not alone in his distraction. Once they had passed beyond the fourth day, things began to change. Judith maintained her pursuit, but Nicolas was less hesitant in responding, or would have been had it not been for the interloper.

The final three days of that week were in fact a single ride, traversing long roads with few travelers. They were headed to the far-outlying holdings of the Hopps’ estates, the first of which was a logging operation. The journey was to have been a golden opportunity for the pair. The carriage driver and driver for the support wagon would slip into the trance state endemic to the profession, leaving the fox and rabbit effectively alone. Their usual morning briefing and lesson would be ample to ensure the drivers’ disinterest and expedient focus on covering ground. Thereafter, they would find some form of diversion or other to pass the time until they made camp, or reached a way station. Both mammals had ample pastimes prepared for the journey well before waking the morning of their departure, not to mention in the dark hours in camp.

Initially, Judith had found the possibility of sleeping rough intimidating, but was reassured by the drivers. Their carriage was outfitted to convert for sleeping just for such travels. Her thrill was curtailed when she realized her escort would have to sleep elsewhere, but there was still the chance of an assignation in the wee hours of the night.

Alas, all her hopes and preparations were ruined before even having the chance of fulfillment. Much to Judith’s frustration, the farm matron was all too accommodating and none too subtle. She insisted on sending her eldest eligible son along with them as an escort. The three-day traversing that should have passed in the company of Mr. Wilde and two drivers was instead a continuous series of interruptions as the undereducated buck attempted, at every inopportune moment, to insert himself into her awareness. The nights that could have been time in the vulpine’s company teasing and coaxing, were wasted declining repeated requests to see very obviously fake sights that were “just a bit off the road”. The fool’s unsubtle attempts to arrange a tryst with her only served to fan her irritation, but it did have a single bright point. Every time the buck made an attempt, the displeasure of her soon-to-be paramour became increasingly present.

Judith had resigned herself to seeing the days pass in such dull form until she could be rid of the bumpkin, but blessedly, Destiny intervened. On the second day of their trip the buck must have been feeling pressured to impress her and so challenged her guardian, for that’s what he was, to a sporting match of fisticuffs.

Judith supposed she would be worth pursuing, as a daughter of a high house, but to go to such lengths was laughable. Attempting to prove one’s masculine value was the behavior of a kit, especially in such a cliché manner. However, Judith also realized it would be a good relief of tension for Mr. Wilde. She had teased him remorselessly for days and then this jumped up jackrabbit with delusions of wooing a noble woman for the sake of bettering his family had appeared. She had to admit, he was large for his species and jackrabbits were known for their utility in a fight.

Nicolas, meanwhile, was completely disinterested. The obnoxious rodent was not worth the effort it would take to even play along. The posturing and paltry attempts at shaming him into accepting his challenge was too transparent for words. The commiserating glances he shared with his charge and the grumbling overheard between the drivers only confirmed that the only mammal taking the buck seriously was himself.

Both unfortunately and blessedly for Nicolas, Judith caved to the fool’s demands. It was clear her desire was to silence the irritant and the fox could claim to merely having played along with this latest bizarre whim of his charge. It was the best option available for all parties. Excepting the jackrabbit, of course, but Nicolas was certain a carefully crafted draw would sate his agitator’s lust for masculine gratification.

So presuming, the butler-turned-steward was fully prepared to engage his opponent in a friendly sparring match on her suggestion, until Judith issued him a suggestion that changed the complexion of the situation entirely. Her request of, “Mr. Wilde, kindly disarm yourself. I do not want you hindered by the weight of your arms in this match,” was not one he was comfortable with.

To unencumber himself openly would display himself as a trained fighter and bodyguard, in addition to tipping his hand. Her words were an open statement of confidence in him to the point of victory being foregone. Privately, the statement would have encouraged him. As she made it public, the result was him being put on the spot and inciting his opponent. His query for confirmation was met by a flat look in reply from her. She had no interest in seeing a draw. She wanted their unwanted escort put in his place and in no uncertain terms. Seeing her so determined, he had no room to object. Officially, he was still an employee of her House, if no longer a servant. He was obliged to obey.

Obey, he did.

Judith watched as the fox divested himself of his coat and waistcoat, thus exposing the layers of concealed weapons under the garments. As they were well away from the mansion, Mr. Wilde was clearly stinting on his preparations not at all. She was amused as Nicolas took up the thread of play she had initiated. He requested of the buck to hold his coat as he unburdened himself. The sight of the jackrabbit staggering under the weight of the armored garment was amusing, but Judith had to forcibly restrain her laughter when the weapons started piling in his arms as well. Once enough cutlery and implements of battle were piled to outfit a village constabulary, Nicolas collected the bundle and set it in the carriage for safekeeping.

To the buck’s credit, he managed to ask why his opponent was so armed and Judith delighted in answering him. “Why, good sir, Mr. Wilde is the Steward of my House, as well as my personal bodyguard. It has been so long since he had an opportunity to flex his limbs. I do so appreciate you insisting on being his partner. So few are willing to take the risk.” Before the now-panicked lapin could say anything she continued. “He is so skilled in his trade that few last longer than a few minutes, even among larger predators. I am quite sure you will be no different.” Then, turning away from the offended and fearful rabbit, she called across the camp, “Mr. Wilde, please do take your time with your sparring. There are so few entertainments on these long journeys. I would appreciate it if you made this last.”

“I shall endeavor not to harm him too severely, Miss Hopps.”

It did not last long. The fox hopelessly outmatched his opponent, despite being nearly the same weight. The difference in their skill was jarring, particularly for the buck’s jaw. Nicolas had to admit he was impressed. He got through nearly a third of his practice drills before his punching bag was too bruised and winded to continue. Sadly, he did not break a sweat.

As Nicolas made a very clear show of sheathing his steel fangs at the base of his tail, he was gratified to hear the stammering and excuses flow. It was equally satisfying to hear Judith neatly guide the buck into further training sessions for the remainder of their journey. They would have some small entertainment for the foreseeable future. It was not adequate compensation for the losses they had experienced, but the next two days passed with a notable absence of interruption. Their unwelcome escort was openly relieved to see the logging camp come into sight and took his leave to return to his home as soon as decency would allow.

At the camp, their luck changed for better and worse.

Unseasonable rains had caused a massive rock slide that dammed the river. The waters near the camp and logging fields were fouled with silt and mud, making them unsafe. Also, the waters had dropped, rendering the mills and sluices useless. Even the drinking water was in short supply.

The camp was emptied by the time they arrived, save for one young otter. His sole task was to say they were welcome and point out where the office, kitchen and other facilities of note were located. Once that was done, he informed them that the foreman would return in a week to meet with them, as that was the earliest he could be spared from the work clearing the river. So saying, the young water dweller scampered off to join his comrades at the temporary camp.

Watching the adolescent vanish down the road, Nicolas was reminded that the carriage drivers would also be leaving once they were paid. Their stop at this location was to be four days, using it as a center point for two forays out to other nearby operations. The replacement drivers for the ones who had carried them here were to be supplied by the camp.

They were stuck.

The camp had all the amenities they would need to live comfortably in that time. It was, however, lacking in one respect. It had no population, save the fox and the rabbit. They would be alone for the next seven days, or more depending on the foreman.

Judith was quite vexed at the turn of events. She had at least hoped to be able to tease her escort as she had been. She had gotten too used to playing her little games under the noses of others. She was disappointed such opportunities had run dry. Her disappointment wasn’t fated to last.

She watched as Nicolas fussed briefly in the carriage, before loading their luggage into the foreman’s rooms. They would serve as the temporary residence for visiting notables, she supposed. It was only to be expected. She stood on the porch of the little cabin and enjoyed the rustic scenery. It would be an enjoyable break from their routine and she had certainly never explored such a forest before.

Her reverie was derailed as she felt two large, strong paws come to rest on her hips. The fox’s voice was low and rough. Most uncharacteristically resonant and it rolled through her, making her joint wobble and stomach tighten. “Miss Hopps, as we are now unencumbered by companions, I believe I am in your debt.”

“Debt?” She squeaked, entirely unsure of where the conversation was going. “Mr. Wilde, I assure you, you owe me nothing.” His paw was suddenly on her chin, tilting her chin up to look at him. She half turned to look him in the eyes and found her breath was as short as her knees were unsteady.

“Oh, but I do, Miss Hopps.” His voice dropped to a near-growl. “Days of teasing and forcing that ridiculous sparring match on me? My dear Lady, I do owe you a debt.” Judith’s attempt to form words was cut short at the first syllable by his paw pad on her lips. “Now, I have a meal to prepare.” His breath was hot and his words full of intent as they softly rolled over her ears. “And I intend to collect.”

Chapter Text

Their meal was a sordid affair, Judith felt. Sordid in that Mr. Wilde was fighting dirty. She was aware that she had been rather forceful in her behaviors of late and she deserved some comeuppance. The trouble was that her definition of “some” and the fox’s differed vastly.

To her, the teasing and displays, the suggestions and innuendo were all in good fun and only in the hope that he would finally act on his, as she perceived them, promises. Meanwhile, his perspective termed them all-out war. That was the only reason she could come to as explanation for his behavior since his forwardness on the porch. At every turn, he managed to ruffle her, or set her nerves alight.

He had left her flustered and weak-kneed moments after vowing to collect on the debt owed, though who owed whom was anybody’s guess at this point. She had spent the intervening time betwixt then and dinner trying to calm the fire that he had lit under her skin to no avail. As he served the meal, as only an experienced servant could, he pressed his advantage.

It was excruciating.

The lightest touch of whispered breath ghosting her neck as he offered her wine left her breathless. The grazing of a claw across her shoulders as he passed set her shivering in anticipation. The gentle touch of his paw on her arm, seemingly in comfort for her state, only set fire to where he touched. The fire spread slow and certain to cover the whole of her body and became an inferno, stealing her presence of mind and ability to speak. If she had managed to work him into a similar state she did feel ashamed of herself for taking it too far, but the consequences of her behavior were thrilling. It was clear she was up against a masterful opponent; one she had goaded a touch too well. She began to regret some of the provoking she had done.

But not much.

By the end of the first course, she was flustered as she had never been, or even dreamed possible. Before the second course ended, she was sure more blood resided in her ears and face than the entire rest of her body. When the pudding was served, Judith wasn’t certain she could breathe enough to manage eating. Her bodice felt far tighter than she remembered lacing it.

Nicolas was quite impressed at the perspicuity of the foreman. He owed the otter a great deal of gratitude. Prior to the departure of the workers to the temporary camp, the foreman and quartermaster had laid in some supplies for their stay in quite ample quantities. Full fresh water barrels, all the cooking implements and enough ingredients to make a week’s worth of meals for a dozen mammals were present; root vegetables, fresh produce, fruits and berries, even fresh fish and a glorious set of simple pastries in an ice box were all stored in the kitchens. It brought a smile to his muzzle. Almost as much as seeing Judith struggle her way through her dinner.

He did not consider himself a cruel mammal, for the most part. He had a sense of balancing the scales and he was perfectly aware that he was well past doing so. She had teased him to the point of open distraction and it was no doing of hers that had their three-day trip was ruined. However, Nicolas Wilde was not about to let her behavior go unrewarded. As much as he was pushing her, he had no intention of merely teasing. As their meal ended, Nicolas cleared away quickly and left their flatware to soak. The cleaning up would wait.

Judith rose unsteadily from her seat. She was unsure if she should flee for the safety of her rooms, or yield to the onslaught of sensation. She doubted she’d make it even a step on legs that felt like jelly. In any event, she was spared deciding. Nicolas glided back into the room and offered his elbow. She knew it was now her choice, not that there was one. She looked up from where she leaned on the arm of her chair and saw the fire coursing through her reflected in his eyes. He was just as impassioned, and likely had been for days, as she was. He merely concealed it better.

Nicolas offered his arm and Judith was grateful for the support. She nearly fainted when his paw came to rest atop her own. The touch was light and gentle, but firm. Judith had never felt so trapped, or so willingly so. She knew she was lost.

He guided her out of the cabin and through the camp. A constitutional after dinner was not uncommon at the Manor and the woods were lovely. The heat of the day was past and the cool breeze of the mountains drifted through the trees. The sun had set during their meal and the moon hung high and large in the sky. The moonlight, dappled as it was by the leaves and breeze, danced across the path and forest floor. It felt like something out of her mother’s fairy stories; like they walked through a different world and away from their own. It was a time and place where only they, and no one else, would ever know.

With that in mind, Judith found no resistance in her when they reached a small clearing some distance from the camp; a little world of moonlight surrounded by shadows. The only feature in the small expanse was a boulder that had stood in the same place for longer than civilization had existed. It was an island in their tiny world and they gravitated to it. There, in the shadow of the boulder, they finally yielded to their desires.

There were no words.

Nicolas turned her to face him with a paw on her cheek and tilted her head up. Burning emeralds met glittering amethysts and all else fell away. Their lips met for the first time and they found themselves intoxicated. Drunk on mutual lust, the kiss deepened and grew fervent. Now, they finally had what they wanted and nothing would impede their claiming it. Their heat was too much for clothing and they shed it as quickly as they could without losing the precious contact they had finally found. As fur met the cool night air, the fire in their blood was met with fire on their skin as paws touched and explored. With each caress and taste they pushed harder, desperate to claim and bind while the spell lasted.

There was pain for her as her maidenhood was taken. It was swiftly blown away as her mind and body filled with him. The musk and spice of him drove her to bury her face in his chest and drink him in as they sank into one another. His growls and pants made her tremble and hunger for more. There was pain for him as her growing passion led her to bite his chest and pull at his back with her blunt claws, raking his ribs. She seemed desperate to have as much of him as there was to claim. As her passion built, her scent, both sweet and earthy, filled his mind. Her voice, moaning his name, a balm to his soul and spurring his hunger.

As their passions reached a fever pitch, the last shreds fell away. There was nothing left but the rabbit and the fox and ecstasy in the moonlight.

Chapter Text

Lady Hopps was in a fine state when the carriage rolled up to the manor. She was a Lady Prime of the nobility; Matron of a High House. Never was she anything but the picture of poise and grace, both in comportment and dress. Were it not evident from her disheveled state, the tension etched across her features and the bags under her eyes told the story all too clearly.

All was not well in the Burrows. In the many weeks since Judith and Nicolas had departed on their tour the state of affairs both in the capital and the region proper had gone from tense to deadly. The Indos Valley situation had sparked off political infighting of the worst kind and her husband was right in the thick of it. Suspicions of blackmail and betrayal were as common as cobblestones and in only the last fortnight, assassination had become a household byword. It was an upsetting state of affairs, especially as Lord Hopps was at Parliament and away from the protection of home and the House Guard. He was due to return today. In fact, his arrival was imminent, but it was a significant relief to see the Juggernaut of the House return home.

One of the many and various reasons she considered Nicolas such an asset was his talent on the battlefield. It was a point of pride for her, both as an employer for making such a good hire and of a maternal sort. She made no bones about her feelings for the fox kit she had taken under her wing so many years ago. He was her child. He was also a talented fighter, skilled bodyguard and superb negotiator. His powers benefited the House and would be exceedingly useful in the immediate sense.

However, first Bonnie needed to satisfy her curiosity; and her need for vicarious thrills. Seeing the pair disembark their transportation at the front of the Manor, Bonnie was forced to add one more item to Nick’s list of titles: devoted lover. It was a salve to her troubled mind that at least one facet of her world was improving and vindication in all of her wildest hopes.

She had sent the two immanent lovers off in the hopes they would slip up and do something that would remove the last of the restraints they had placed on their hearts. The halting, tenuous courtship she bore witness to before their departure had been the sweetest of agonies. The pretense of the tutoring was an excuse born of convenience, but the truth of it was she wanted them bound together. Anyone with eyes and a soul could see they would make a whole so many times greater than the sum of two mammals.

To any observer but herself, there was nothing whatever amiss as her daughter and her escort arrived. Nicolas was vigilant as ever as he poked his head out of the carriage and scanned the area. He was as careful and taut as ever he was, fulfilling his duties as guardian. He seemed mostly unchanged. Merely a hint of absent tension in the set of his shoulders and a touch less force behind his smile was all the enigmatic vulpine gave away as he alighted. The change was manifest when Judith descended.

She was radiant.

To a casual observer, Judith’s delight was easily attributed to the pleasure of returning home after a long absence. In truth, the months she had been absent were the longest she had been away from the Manor and her family. She was quite happy to return. However, the genuine happiness of her return was overshadowed by the deep, resonant joy that seemed to radiate from within her.

They had clearly rehearsed and found opportunity to practice the concealment they attempted in Bonnie’s presence. However, in the split breath where emerald met amethyst as he assisted her descent, there was no spark, but a thunderbolt between them. Even Nicolas’ mask was imperfect in concealing the genuine affection and tenderness in his expression. The small, genuine smile they shared as he took her paw and guided her down warmed the heart and passion roiling behind it warmed significantly more. It was clear that all Lady Hopps’ hopes had come to fruition. The bond between the two was tangible.

Bonnie felt a small pang of envy for her daughter. It had been many years since her great love with her husband had that fresh, raw poignancy where every moment was precious and every touch so cherished. The moment passed quickly and delight coursed through her. So much more had happened than she could have hoped for! It had to have! She would have the truth of it out of her daughter soon enough, albeit piecemeal, but first she had to properly greet them and pretend that nothing was suspected. The only saving grace Bonnie found in restraining her squeal of delight lay in that she was too worry worn to find the energy.

“Judith! Thank the Gods you’re home safe!”, Bonnie exclaimed as she bustled up to the carriage.

“Yes, Mother. I have been well cared for. Nicolas has been quite attentive.”

Bonnie missed neither Judith’s attempt at subtlety, nor Nicolas’ uncharacteristically flustered cough. Similarly, Judith caught herself in her slip, but too late to do anything but hope it would be missed. A sense of dread settled into the younger doe as she attempted to steer the conversation away from her gaff.

“You look well, Mother.”

“You are a terrible liar, my dear. I look atrocious.”

Nicolas chose that moment to insert himself into the conversation. “Is all well, Lady Hopps? You appear distressed.”

“All is not well, Nicolas. Much has happened in your absence.” The change was instantly visible in both younger mammals as Bonnie straightened herself and took up the mantle of Lady Hopps. “Lord Hopps will fill you in when you rendezvous with him. He returning to the Manor today. You will meet him on the road and escort him for the remainder of the journey.”

“Is the situation so dire?”

“It is. Are you prepared?”

“Always, madam.”

“Good. Elliot is at the Carriage House with a troop of the Guards. I am placing you in command. Collect them and depart with all possible speed.”

Nicolas wasted no time or breath on words, hastening away after a curt bow.

Bonnie watched him go for a moment before turning her attention to her daughter, again. She saw her own anxieties reflected in her progeny; the fear of a loved one going off into danger. She smiled softly to herself before shaking off her sentimentality in favor of something a little more diverting. There was nothing they could do and it would be hours before there would be any form of news. Best to keep the mind occupied.

Working a touch of playfulness into her demeanor, Bonnie turned to her daughter and took her paw. “Come, Judith. We will wait in the solarium. I’ll have tea sent in and we can catch up.”

“As you say, Mother.”, Judith replied, distractedly.

“Do not look so concerned, child.” Bonnie tittered. “Nicolas will return before long and is quite capable of handling himself in the situation.”

“True. I’m probably worrying over nothing.”

Bonnie’s lips quirked up at the corners as she patted her daughter’s paw. “Now, you come with me and tell me all about your travels. I’m especially interested in how you found Nicolas for company.”

The older doe could not help but note her daughter’s slight blush, very neatly hidden behind a show of exuberance as the younger began a lively chatter regarding her trip.

Chapter Text

Judith had felt like prey twice in her life. Only twice. The first was the night she and her family had been menaced by the gang in the city. All she could do then was allow her siblings to cower behind her as she tried to be brave. Never had she felt so vulnerable. She despised the feeling at the time and the memory still pained her from time to time.

This was the second. Now, her vulnerability felt less crass, but easily as potent. There were no fangs, or claws to fear. No blades or clubs. Merely words and meaning. She was not fighting for her life, but the anxiety rooted in the pit of her stomach made it clear this was no less a battle for survival. The stakes, she felt, were far higher than the simple matter of her own life. She was facing her mother on a battlefield that was clearly her mother’s advantage in pursuit of keeping her relationship with Nicolas a secret. Perhaps, not the fact of it. It was likely they’d been seen through already to some extent. The scope of their intimacies, however. Therein lay the danger.

Were their relations to become commonly known, her family’s name would be tarnished and she would be shamed. In truth, that was of little concern. Regardless of the scope of their relationship, she was facing exile already and the family would recover. There were already plenty of rumors and lies about House Hopps. One more would matter but little.

For Nicolas, on the other paw, the exposure of their romance would be severely damaging. The full extent of their relationship? Catastrophic. Newly raised gentleman, or not, he was still in the employ of the House. Exposure would mean an end of his career with the Hopps’. Dismissal would ruin him. Judith could not, would not let that happen.

At Lady Hopps’ suggestion, Judith followed politely as she was led to the solarium. She had always enjoyed the room. Plenty of space and sunlight, but no threat of a pesky breeze disturbing one’s leisure. She smiled at her own snobbery. Her preferred reading had always been penny dreadful romances, but after her recent experiences, she felt no need to seek the tawdry thrills in print. She merely had to remember the latter half of her journey to sate her hunger for excitement. Unfortunately, the sating of that hunger sparked another, less easy to ignore. She could not afford to give herself away, so she banished all thought of her lover and their activities from her mind.

It was a valiant and ultimately futile effort.

En route to their destination, Judith attempted to fill the void with mindless talk; the kind which both noblewomen and chickens were known, in an attempt to clear her head and create a conversation she could steer away from dangerous topics. It failed.

Her blathering bought her time, but only so much. Once she and her mother had reached the solarium Judith’s stream of forced conversation dried up. The gravitas her mother wore and the continued weight of the circumstances both in and out of the Manor weighed too heavily on her mind. Every memory she possessed of the journey led invariably to Nicolas. His absence, the reason and the danger drew the worry up in her mind and smothered her words.

The turgid silence lasted as they settled and through the arrival of the tea. The silence no doubt appeared companionable, but it was apparent she was merely in the calm before the storm. More accurately, the peace before the assault.

Judith knew her mother. Not nearly as well as her fox did, she was sure. She knew Lady Hopps was a powerful mammal. The Lady of House Hopps had a reputation for subtlety and manipulation, but Judith had never realized the extent of her prowess until now. Judith felt quite the fool. Her lessons in detecting subterfuge had presented her with the skills to see her mother in an entirely new light. The younger doe now comprehended how her paramour held his employer in such high regard.

While her daughter stewed, Bonnie pondered. There were many ways for her to approach this conversation. Previously, she would have simply prodded Judith into speaking and guide her gently into giving herself away. Circumspectly, of course. The child had never realized that she’d been seen through before when such a tactic had been employed, but that was then. Nearly three months had passed with the young doe under the tutelage of the mammal she herself had instructed in the ways of subtlety. The old methods would no longer work.

Lady Hopps sighed. It was a veiled expression of vexation, hidden behind a façade of enjoying her tea. A calculated test. Her daughter’s ear twitched. Not a full recognition, then, but an awareness that she should be paying attention. That was noteworthy. Her daughter’s skills were not developed, but a foundation was present. Alas, such a development precluded any form of conversational guidance. It would be transparent instantly if she were to try. As amusing as the prospect would be, asking directly would accomplish little beyond immediate fluster and blushing indignant denial. It would also tip her hand. No. In this case, there was only one strategy left open to her.

It was sophomoric and better suited to adolescents, but that would make it all the more effective. No one would reasonably believe that a High Lady would stoop to something so tawdry and it would play against the increased awareness her daughter was exhibiting quite well. Judith would be forced to interpret everything several ways, but the mainstay of her mindset would always be apparent in her overall reaction. If the results of their tour were in any way as salacious as Bonnie presumed, Judith would give herself away very clearly. Yes, double entendre was certainly the best method of interrogation.

Bonnie smiled sweetly, as she began testing her daughter’s defenses. “Tell me, Judith. How did you find Nicolas as a traveling companion?”

Judith’s relief was immediately apparent. “He was good company for the most part. It took some getting used to, but his wit has a certain charm.”

“Once you realize the barbs are just for show, of course.”

Judith giggled. “He does work hard to disguise himself.”

Judith was softened and her guard was less thorough. Time to prod. “He prefers to conceal his strengths as well as his weaknesses. It has served him well.”

“Indeed. I’ve seen his armaments. Quite a lot of surprises he has for ruffians, when the need arises.”

“Not just his prowess as a bodyguard, daughter. His Did you know he speaks six languages?”

“Six? He professed to three!”

“Oh, yes. Quite well too. His tutor suggested he study linguistics when he was young. He’d be a professor, by now.”

“I’m grateful he didn’t.”

“As am I. That silvered tongue of his has been very useful on many occasions.” Judith’s eyes popped slightly and her ears reddened. “That Reynard could talk a mammal into or out of anything, if he put his mind to it.” The red grew deeper. Now, to strike. “He’ll have little trouble with marriage negotiations, when the time comes.”

“Marriage negotiations? Why would he be involved in those?”

“Not for the House, child. For himself. Now he’s a gentleman, he’ll be quite the prize when he chooses to seek a bride.”

The flash of jealousy that spiked through her was as unexpected as the turn in conversation had been. Immediately on its heels, sadness and longing swelled in her belly. All of this was clear as day to Bonnie who cheered and regretted in equal measure. Judith’s attachment was plain, as was her hurt. This was good and could certainly be built upon. Now, to lighten the mood.

“How was he as an instructor? I’m pleased you found him a satisfactory traveling companion, but we did not send you on this trip for diversion.”

“Quite effective.” Judith replied, relieved to have an escape from her maudlin thoughts. “I learned well, once I understood how he chose to teach me. Though, most of the lessons happened in the carriage.”

“Did they, now…”, Bonnie countered with a slightly raised eyebrow. It could be a prompt for an expansion on the topic, or a gently suggestive rejoinder. The interpretation was her daughter’s to decide.

Judith felt the room grow warmer, again. “I mean, we reviewed the books at the farms and manufactories, but it wasn’t until later we went into the more subtle aspects of the work, each day.”

“Ah. Most wise of him. Best to keep that type of lesson away from other mammals.” Bonnie sipped her tea and let the innuendo simmer, before her follow up. “Especially mammals with an invested interest.”

Judith’s ears burned. Everything she was hearing was perfectly natural and correct, but some part of her mind heard everything in a very different, very carnal, light. She had to clear her throat before replying. “Indeed. He was most accommodating.”

“Was he? I am relieved to hear it. It is rare to find a mammal who puts such care and forethought into their endeavors. He does know his work after so many years.”

Judith was relieved to hear the conversation was back into tamer waters. “His skill is quite obvious, once one cares to look. I am glad you chose him to instruct me.”

“As am I. It is satisfying to hear you found him pleasing in that regard.” Bonnie sipped her tea. “You did find him pleasing, didn’t you? Please, say you did.”

“Exceedingly so.” Judith murmured into her cup as she fought down the memories of how pleasing he had been during their last weeks on the road.

“I am glad. It is such a relief to hear you took some pleasure in the ordeal.”

“It was quite enjoyable, eventually.” Judith stated, mildly.

“Was it? I had thought you would find learning to manage estates rather tedious.”

“He found ways to make the lessons engaging. Once I had a grasp of the basics, I learned more easily. That went a long way to easing the burden.” Bonnie smirked at that.

“I suppose before long it was hardly a challenge to complete your tasks.”

“Eventually. It took longer than I had hoped.” Judith commented, not realizing her slip.

Bonnie was quick to press her advantage. “Then, you must had been pressed to find ways to alleviate the boredom, before long.”

All Bonnie received in response was a distracted nod of her daughter’s head. She had no doubt, now, how engaging Judith had found her days on the road. The depth of the relationship between the two children she had sent off had been far underestimated by her. A moment of regret for the hurt she had caused with her jibes earlier flitted through the matron’s mind, before she banished it. All she had done was necessary to get the truth. Now, she had it and it was time to let her little fish off the hook, for now. Judith was besotted. All she had to do was confirm Nicolas’ emotional investment and the rest would simply fall into place, as she had already arranged.

The conversation meandered easily through most of the major events Judith had encountered. Bonnie listened attentively, while grinning internally. Thankfully, no great dangers had manifested and Bonnie was relieved to hear that most of the tour went smoothly. Her daughter’s feelings were clear and, while there had been no confession, it was certain that they were paramours at the least. Something obviously had happened, as Judith was blushing at every turn, and Lady Hopps had a very good idea of what. It wasn’t until they arrived at the topic of the logging camp that Bonnie found the meat of what she was searching for.

By rights, that stop should have been the most in-depth part or their talk. Between the nature of the place, the landslide, the new experience of it, Bonnie had expected volumes of insight and many questions. Judith, however, expressed boredom at the visit and a speedy change to topic. Her refusal to meet her mother’s eyes and absolute calm in the expedient glossing over of the entire episode led Bonnie to one irrefutable presumption. For Judith to work so hard to conceal and make it a non-event, that was where everything changed.

Bonnie sipped her tea and struggled not to simply leap for joy. Knowing her species, there was one way that was most likely to cause such a reaction. If that were truth, then Nicolas was as besotted as Judith and there was nothing whatever for her to fret over.

The sense of smug satisfaction lasted until she heard her husband return with the wounded.

Chapter Text

There was no warning. One moment, Judith and her mother were verbally sparring. The next, the Manor was in uproar. Raised voices and the drumming of many feet heralded the return of Lord Hopps’ entourage as they ran up to the Manor. Hearing the commotion, both does hastened through the corridors. Twists and turns that had felt so unimportant and routine felt suddenly labyrinthine as fear lent urgency to their pace.

They burst into the main hall and found that their worst fears had come to pass. Members of the House staff scampered around ferrying bandages and aid where they were needed. The wounded moan or cursed where they lay, as they received or waited for treatment. Angry bucks and house servants moved with grim purpose through the throng and in the midst of the chaos stood Terrance Hopps, bellowing.

“Terry!” Judith’s shout brought the older buck’s attention to her.

“Judith! I’d heard you were back.”

“What happened?”

“Ambush. I met father in the city and joined him in returning to the Manor.”

“Why were you in the city?”

“Promotion ceremony. I’m accepting command of my regiment early because of the imminent war. Command thought it best.”

Bonnie interjected. “Topics for later, children. What of your father?”, anxiety only just coloring her words.

“He’s in the infirmary with the worst injured.” Terrance answered her, before turning to Judith. “As is that lunatic fox. Was that Mister Wilde?”

Judith was terrified as she answered, “Yes. What of him? Is he well?”

“He saved us. That troop he led was exactly what we needed to stave off the attack, but I will never look at that mammal the same again. He fought like Fervor himself! He’s back with father being looked at.”

Puzzled, but with higher priorities than questioning her brother, Judith scampered off to the medical wing. Before Bonnie could follow, her son stopped her. “Mother, Lord Hopps has claimed Steader’s Rights and has ordered me to muster the House.”

“Against whom?”

“McFleece. That fox managed to capture the leaders of the little band. We have evidence to pursue legal consequence in the Courts.”

“And initiate legal vendetta,” Bonnie breathed.

She nodded at her son and sprinted after her daughter. This was no time for propriety. Her family was marching to war.

She caught up to Judith as the doe stood outside the infirmary. The heaving breaths rolling through the younger Hopps was all the indicator Bonnie needed to understand. She grasped her daughter’s paw and saw the fear in her eyes. She was petrified at what lay on the other side of the door. Lady Hopps steeled herself and gripped harder. Judith seemed to understand. If their males were hurt, they needed to be strong. They needn’t have worried so much.

Once inside the infirmary, they made their way to the private rooms at the back, where Lord Hopps’ bellowing could easily be heard. If he was being so loud, there was little risk of serious injury. Bonnie breathed a sigh of relief, but it was nothing to the relief Judith felt seeing her fox being attended to.

His face was the same as ever, for the most part. One of his eyes was blackened and he had a notch in his ear that was new. His blood-soaked coat was hanging over a chair, but it did not appear that it was his blood. He looked up for just a moment as the orderly, one of Judith’s sisters, was collecting a wet cloth and shot her a small smile and a wink. If she had not had her paw occupied in her mother’s she would have run to him directly. Fortunately, she was unable to do so, as moments later the door banged open and Lord Hopps stormed out, followed by a nervous badger and two lapidae nurses, sporting a rushed splint on one ear.

“Enough of your fussing, doctor! If I am well enough to leave this place, I am well enough to see to my home’s defense. Once that is done, I will rest, but not before!”

“Stuart!”

His wife’s shout brought him up short, but only for a moment. To his wife’s bewilderment, she found herself in a tight embrace. “Bonnie, I was wrong.”

“Wrong?”

“All these years I doubted you for having him around and I was wrong.”

“What on earth are you on about?”

Finally letting go, Lord Hopps turned towards the Steward of his House and called him over. Lord Hopps was a bit of a mess. Scrapes, bruises and labored breath. On the morrow, he would be far less mobile, Bonnie suspected, but she was not about to blunt his momentum. She would gently mock him, but first she needed to get the doctor’s assessment. Preferably, while he was otherwise occupied.

“How is he?”

“Lots of bruises, a cracked rib, maybe a minor sprain on his right leg, broken ear. I’ve set the ear. He’ll be alright for a while, but he has got to rest.”

“I’ll attend to him.” So saying, Bonnie turned to a one of the nurses and asked her to bring a brandy for the Lord.

As Nicolas approached, it was clear why it took so long. He was in much worse shape. One arm in a sling, gashes on his muzzle, the notched ear and a limp were the most obvious of his hurts. Before the Lord could start his chuntering, Lady Hopps cut in. “And how is the Steward of the House, doctor?”

The badger stepped forward and haltingly explained as quickly as could be, so as not to incite the wrath of his employer. “Mostly superficial injuries. That coat of his took most of the beating, but the notch in his ear will be permanent and the scratches on his muzzle will scar. He took quite a beating and that arm will be in a sling for a fortnight, but nothing life threatening. He will heal in good time.”

“And his leg?” Bonnie prompted?

Nick chimed in, “My apologies, Lady Hopps. A ram’s head fell on it.”

“Was your foot in the air and moving quickly, by chance?”

“I believe it was, madam. Most inconsiderate of the ram to be in the way.”

“Indeed…”

At last, Stuart had his opportunity to reclaim control of the conversation, with brandy in paw. “That ram was none other than Gerald McFleece. Heir apparent to our good neighbors and, now, open enemies. Mister Wilde captured him and his compatriot, Andrew Rackney, on the battlefield after saving us from their thugs.”

“Rackney? Little Andrew?”

“The same.” Nicolas supplied. “Apparently, he’s come to chafe under his father’s rule. He was quite vocal about it while we traveled. Perhaps this will inspire the old Lord to attend responsibilities other than to his young wife, for a time.”

“How on earth did a sweet child like Andrew fall in with that rogue McFleece?”

“As young Rackney ranted, he became quite sullen. Eventually, he muttered something about trouble with females. Though I doubt very much that to be the case.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean the young master demonstrated more interested in Elliot, the coach driver than I’ve ever heard him showing regarding a female.” The shocked silence that followed his pronouncement was a good opportunity for Lord Hopps to finish his drink. Nick caught Bonnie’s eye and indicated what had happened. She nodded her thanks before he continued. “Now, that is just speculation on my part, but might I make a suggestion, Lord Hopps?”

The brandy was doing its work on the excited rabbit as he responded, “Speak! Your word is good as gold to me, Nicolas!” Before he wobbled onto a chair.

“I would suggest that we refrain from claiming vendetta against the Rackneys. The McFleeces fully deserve the consequences, as the attackers bore only McFleece colors. It’s possible that Young Rackney was simply goaded or pressured into attending.”

“Was he armed?”

“No.” Mr. Wilde replied. “In fact, he fainted when Gerald McFleece so inconsiderately laid his jaw against my foot.”

“It doesn’t sound like the Rackneys were involved, father.” Terrance supplied, having arrived from the main hall.

“Precisely. I would advise you to see him returned under guard to his father and make the situation known to the Lord. He will attend to his child’s misbehavings and, I suspect, be most grateful. It would be beneficial to have a Lord indebted to us.”

“It could spell the start of an alliance. We do need allies, Lord Hopps. The Rackneys are a powerful family.”

“When the Lord pays attention to things other than his bride.” Bonnie commented, wryly. She shook herself and squared her shoulders. There was much to do. “Terrance, muster the House and lead them against the McFleece’s at dawn, as ordered. You know the Law regarding this.”

“Not a scorched stone of their fine House will be left standing.”

“Good. Take as many captive as you can and try not to destroy too much.” Bonnie’s smile would have fit better on a shark. “The McFleece lands may yet be a Hopps property, after all.”

Terrance’s smile was as rapacious as his mother’s. “Understood, Lady Hopps.”

“In the meantime, assemble a troop of the House Guard and escort Andrew Rackney to his home. I will select an appropriate envoy and brief them before they depart. Also, prepare a full escort for Lord Hopps in the morning. He will be taking the young McFleece to the city to answer for his and his family’s crimes.” She eyed her husband, gently snoring in his chair. “When he wakes up, of course. Doctor, please make the journey with Lord Hopps, as I believe he will prove a more tractable patient in the morning. He will be grateful for your care.”

As her family chattered, Judith quietly moved away from the discussion and towards her fox. She could not simply rush to him and fuss. There were too many mammals about. That did nothing, however to quell her desire to make sure he was as hale as he let on. All she managed was a brief moment of holding his paw, but it was enough. His grip was fatigued and his paw shook. He was enervated and concealing his fear very well, but it was present.

All too soon, Judith was called upon to aid her sisters in settling their father in a bed close to hand. As Lady Hopps instructed the doctor in the necessary preparations for the morrow, the heartsick doe cast one more look at the male she cared so much about. He stood and smiled in his usual way, but Judith saw through the façade. What she saw inspired a fit of lunacy that only those in love could understand.

Her House was preparing for war and any mammal not on guard or arming for the morning’s attack was ordered to their rooms and quarters. That did not deter her even slightly. In the wee hours of the night she made her way in her shift and dressing gown through the halls. Upon reaching his new rooms, her knuckles rapped a quiet march on the door. Meagre heartbeats passed before it swung open and she slipped inside.

“Judith, you can not be here.”

Rather than speak, she simply wrapped her arms around him and trembled. Some moments passed before she found the strength to speak. “I’m sorry. I can’t help myself. If you had died I don’t know what I’d do.”

Nick’s unharmed paw ran down her back, offering her comfort. “I am whole and healing, Carrots. Do not fret.”

“Ooh! I hate that name! Why do you use it?”

“Why do you smile and blush when I do?”

“Be silent fox.”

“You’ll have to still my lips, then, my dear.”

Their lips met in a kiss that was not chaste and quickly deepened. Their fears and longing quickly adding fuel to the fire. Before they could move beyond molding their bodies to each other, a loud knocking echoed through the halls pulling them from their tryst. The lovers sprang apart, composed themselves and bid each other a goodnight rife with promises. As soon as they were sure the halls were clear, Judith beat a hasty retreat to her rooms, seeing neither hide nor hair of any mammal.

Once her daughter found the way to the Steward’s rooms, Bonnie had counted out a half minute three times before rapping firmly on the floor with an umbrella she drew from the stand at the end of the hall. She concealed herself in a shadowed alcove until Judith hastened past, then made her way quickly and quietly to her own bed. There was much yet to do before her two recalcitrant children could freely love each other and they had to maintain the illusion of propriety at least until they were offshore. They could not be allowed to be caught in a compromising position by anyone and they had come perilously close to discovery between their arrival that afternoon and the infirmary.

It was less than a month until Judith’s birthday and subsequent rustication. Bonnie would have to keep the two of them under control until then. It was a challenge she was well used to, considering the scale of her progeny and these were not the first lovers she had found cause to puppet on the subtle. She did, however, loathe the necessity of cutting their rendezvous short. Both of then needed the comfort, but it could not be allowed just yet.

As Bonnie settled into her bed, she found it ironic and a most fitting penance for her actions that night. Her bed was empty with her husband in the infirmary, just as Nicolas and Judith’s were. Her one comfort lay in that all their painful solitudes would end and soon.

Chapter Text

Stuart Hopps returned to his home uncertain how he should feel with regards to his situation. Not all had gone poorly, but he had hoped for better results in some respects. Following their arrival in the capitol, Lord Hopps dragged young McFleece before the High Courts and laid his case before the Judiciaries. The results were overall satisfactory. The offending family were stripped of lands and properties in keeping with the damage they had caused and attempted. As the goal was clearly the murder of a High Lord, the full sum of the McFleece assets were forfeit, along with their Title. It was a comfort, but a somewhat cold one to gain such assets under such circumstances. It was not worth the price of the lives of his sons and guardsmen. Their families would be compensated well from the gains House Hopps received.

The charges laid against the McFleece family had been sufficient to legitimize his claim of Steader’s Rights, so he was facing no direct legal consequences. However, that was not the only form consequences could take. One of the greater consequences lay in the politics.

The assault on his person, specifically the failure of it, left a lot of politicians in uncomfortable positions for supporting the attackers in Parliament. Seeing one of the Higher Lords brought low also shocked a number of the less committed to their senses. The Pro-War faction had suffered a notable loss of support in Parliament as a result and solidified Lord Hopps’ position. This allowed the moderate coalition he led to rally and scrape together enough clout and support to petition the Royal Court for a formal injunction and arbitration before the Monarch. That translated to a guaranteed delay of warfare in the Indos by a half-year.

Six months was plenty of time to solidify opposition to the war under the Hopps banner and reverse some of their losses. Enough, perhaps, to even blunt the bloodthirsty profiteers and place limiters on the scope of conflict. It also allowed the Hopps family to present a personal petition before the chamberlain of the Royal Court. Lord Hopps was especially pleased at that. With royal legitimization, no one could look askance at anything he chose to do with the acquired lands. It would take time, but he would have what he was owed and be able to pay it on.

Those positives were offset somewhat by the rather massive target now painted on his back and ridiculous increase in his correspondences. He was now the de facto leader of his faction, after the elder statesmammals of course, but he had never desired such a scope of responsibilities. He would, of course, respond to the demands of his position and do his people proud. However, retirement was looking increasingly desirable by the day. At least, he would be able to afford an increased bodyguard and House Guard with the new properties and perhaps another secretary. With Terrence accepting his regimental command early, he would be in line to accept the Lordship in four years. A long time, perhaps, but Lord Hopps suspected it would pass all too quickly.

‘It was unfortunate that benefits always came with a drop of vinegar’, he groused as he settled into his study chair and opened his first official correspondence box. At least, in the short term there was nothing he could do but what was in front of him. Until the transfer of properties and titles promulgated, his paws were tied.

Meanwhile, Judith was upset and Nicolas vexed. Both were as such for the same reason. The good Mister Wilde’s heroics had garnered quite a bit of attention since he interceded in the attack on his employer. The stories started with the soldiers and Guardsmammals who survived the skirmish and were corroborated by Andrew Rackney. The young buck and his father were intensely grateful for the restraint showed by both Mister Wilde and the Hopps. Namely, for sparing him the charges. In the fox’s case, for sparing his life. Young Master Andrew even went so far as to thank the fox for his mercy. The fox returned that it was clear he had no desire to be a part of the attack from his posture and lack of arms. Sparing him was only the natural choice.

The resulting gratitude for his magnanimity and poise under threat was manifest in Lord Rackney allying his family with the Hopps’ locally and Nicolas gaining a friend. Alas, a friend who sang his praises all too well, but a friend nonetheless. Nicolas found the situation highly discomfiting, but was not fool enough to discourage the buck. He was a Lord’s son and a gentleman does not discard valuable friendships. If he was honest, the buck was a good lad. He needed a bit of a steady hoof to guide him. While that should have been his father’s task, the fox was willing to stand in pro temp. Lord Rackney had an alliance to settle and responsibilities to resume, after all. It was simply a challenge Mister Wilde had not anticipated.

The friendship of the heir to a Lordship was nothing to sneeze at and certainly added to the appeal of the vulpine, as far as the gossip mills were concerned. Coupled with his newly acquired scars and the fashionable notch in his ear, his meteoric rise to status created a definite mystique about him. That led to a Judith’s primary source of distress in the situation: Mister Wilde was garnering lots and lots of female interest.

They had returned a fortnight early and still had time ample before Judith’s birthday. In the week’s time since the attack on her father, several invitations made their way to Mr. Wilde from an assortment of families that Judith was aware of. All were predator families. Most were vulpine. All had daughters of marrying age. Word of his valor so soon on the heels of such a trusted mission as the education of the imminent Hopps spinster and recent raising to social status made him a fine prospect. Too fine to pass up for any vixen not already betrothed. There was even some talk of betrothals rescinded in the hopes of catching a Wilde fox.

Judith had to admit it was no surprise. He did cut a fine figure in his new wardrobe and the scars he wore with his usual calm confidence gave him an allure remarked upon by many. Not all that was said were compliments, but in every eye that looked there was an interest. Some were measuring, some unsettled; some considering and others, carnal. The tales of how he wielded his blades led to much female gossip regarding what other skills he possessed. Quite a few females, even married, were heard to speculate if he could handle a lover so skillfully as he did his arms. There was much talk of other things more anatomical, as well. Such was the way of things in rabbit warrens.

The worst of it was the wagging tongue of Lady Lopton. She and her husband, the retired Lesser Lord Lopton, were returning to their country estates in Deerbrook, but were loathe to travel alone. According to Bonnie’s sources, it was much less a strain on their purse when someone else provided the retinue and guards, so far as Lady Lopton was concerned. As such, their accompaniment of Lord Hopps and their subsequent presence at his waylaying gave them front row seats to the Steward of House Hopps coming to the rescue. In the chaos after the skirmish, the two had simply been forgotten by the players in the little drama, but had witnessed it all. They received Hopps hospitality and medical care before being escorted home under guard. Naturally, they assumed it had been arranged specifically for them rather than as an afterthought. The repute of House Hopps rose and the enthusiasm with which the Loptons told the story garnered them many dinner invitations. The news quickly spread like fleas in a boarding house.

From romanticizing to lurid, the rumors flew and all of them found their way to Judith’s ears. Jealousy was an ugly thing. There was no escaping it, so Judith set about finding the silver linings to each of the clouds. She found it relatively easy, once she began. Gloating was not becoming of a lady, but it was far less ugly than jealous fits and took the sting out of hearing her sisters’ comments regarding her fox. It was made even easier when she caught an envy-filled look sent her way by the gossips.

She did not realize he danger of her smugness until it was too late, however. Before long some of her closer siblings came to talk to her about the good Mr. Wilde. She should not have been surprised, but was well and truly flabbergasted when they approached her.

“You spent months alone with him, Judith!” Anne whined. “Surely you saw him in less than his shirtsleeves.”

“He was a perfect gentlemammal the entire time.” Judith replied primly.

“He was a gentlemammal and you were a lady, but a lady can still look,” Liana pointed out.

Elaine added, “Especially, when his back is turned.”

Anne grew insistent. “Come now, Judith! Father sent you off with him every evening after dinner before you left. You must know something of his tastes.”

Judith couldn’t hide the pink in her ears and the subsequent assumptions were impossible to quell. She found herself quickly elevated to resident expert on the fox and was bombarded by questions from the curious. None of the interrogators came close to discovering the full extent of her knowledge. Judith had learned enough subterfuge to conceal the most personal aspects of her expertise. The most they discovered, however, was ample fodder for the squealing reynard-obsessed masses. To her bewilderment, Judith Hopps, immanent spinster and general outlier suddenly found herself to be quite popular. To her horror, she found herself receiving invitations.

Once word spread of her knowledge, many canid families became quite solicitous of her time, hoping to glean some insight into the male they were hoping to claim for their daughters. The daughters were, if possible, more aggressive. Taking tea with a small gaggle of vixens was an experience she never wanted to repeat. It was excruciating. Bizarrely, she even attended a garden social where Mr. Wilde was a guest, himself!

Bonnie was beside herself at the humor of the situation. Judith was by turns fuming at the interest of other the females and floundering under the weight of her newfound social status. Nicolas, meanwhile, was alternating between varieties of uncomfortable. He was now obligated to be sociable by virtue of his position. However, no manner of training prepares one for the subtleties of mate hunters. Fathers, mothers and even siblings could become weapons to corral and press a suitable husband into place. Words were gentle pressures and allusion thick in the air wherever Mr. Wilde went, coaxing and cajoling. The poor fox found it exhausting. Especially, when it came to scents.

In dealing with lapins, one came to ignore the ever-present wafts of pheromone rich zephyrs that came with them. It was a fact of the species and most mammals didn’t even register it, let alone know what it was. Not so for vulpines. The garden party he had been pressed into attending turned into a horror. Too many vixens and all interested in him. The cloying odor of their want was so intense that he’d had to launder his party garments twice and air them for a week, just to be rid of it.

The one great benefit to the folderol infecting Nicolas’ reality was the generosity of Lord Hopps. In gratitude for his service and exceptional valor Lord Hopps bequeathed to one Nicolas P. Wilde an alfalfa farm of some three hundred acres and the adjacent Meadowsweet Cottage.

He now had a home. A genuine residence to call his own! It was nothing grand, but stately and would suit his needs. It was stone and mortar construction, made to last out the centuries and sized decently for a mammal of his stature, as the original residents had been sheep. Plenty of room for himself and whatever family he ended up having. Decorating and taking up residence would have to wait, unfortunately. Judith’s birthday and relocation to the continent would have to come first. It would perhaps be several months, but his home would be his regardless.

First, however, was the celebration of Judith’s twenty fifth. It was a harrowing ordeal. Usually such events were small, mildly shameful to-dos kept within the family. This one, bizarrely, had turned out rather grand. Many fox families had begged the opportunity to attend, citing business to discuss with Lord and Lady Hopps. Entirely unrelated was the opportunity for their daughters to hunt the Steward of the House.

Also, several bucks attended from a variety of families in the Tri-burrows. Once word got around that Judith was able to manage holdings, several rabbit families grew interested in her. The bucks mainly so they could put more work on her once they were wed and thereby be freer themselves. A Scion of the Clover House said as much, believing Judith would be amenable to a purely business arranged marriage. To her credit, she did not simply lambast the overly honest fool. She merely excused herself and poured vinegar in his drink when he was distracted, then she sought out her parents.

By the end of the conversation, Lord Hopps looked crestfallen, Lady Hopps was concealing her amusement behind a facade of disgust at the Clover buck’s behavior and Judith was confirmed in her exile. Bonnie watched as her daughter glided off in a poised huff to find her paramour. Nicolas had never been so pleased to see her. Excusing himself from the corner he’d been backed into by a trio of very forward vixens, he scampered off in Judith’s wake to attend to her orders. Purely as Steward of the House, of course. The grumbling of the ladies he’d escaped was not missed by either of them.

Lady Hopps watched her daughter’s behavior with fond amusement. It was so clear her progeny was suffering a lover’s jealous fit, yet none would realize it. The presumption that a fox and rabbit could not be lovers was too strong in the minds of even the literati. Seeing their obvious movements, she paced the pair to the secluded corner they made their destination under the guise of a turn about the garden. Such things were not uncommon at such events and it was Judith’s party, after all. She had the right to make demands.

After giving the pair a few moments of privacy, Bonnie made to join them under the semi-guise of wishing her daughter well on her natal day. Such an interruption was unfortunate, but the risk was never higher for them to be found in an assignation. Bonnie simply could not allow that to come to pass. The lovers had to be interrupted.

As she neared the pair, her daughter’s words reached her perked ears.

“Are all bitches so subtle in their pursuits?”

Bonnie quickly stifled her guffaw and secreted herself behind a hedge. She was close enough to intercede if necessary, but this was too opportune a chance to pass up.

Nick coughed to cover his amusement at Judith’s choice of words. “Judith,” he soothed, “The term is vixen and they are behaving as many young ladies in their position are expected to in order to make a good match. It is to be expected given the circumstances.”

“Be that as it may.”

“I understand your frustration, but do try not to let their immature flirtations discomfit you.”

Judith sighed, a release of pent up frustration, and nodded her head in agreement. “I will try.” There was no sense in letting it worry her. She knew her fox’s heart. However, it still rankled that guests at her family’s home were hunting for coin on her coffer. Still, it was to no benefit worrying unduly. The doe shook herself at his words and gifted her lover with a brilliant smile. He in turn graced her cheek with his paw’s caress.

“Soon, my dear, we will be off to the continent. The business of settling you into your time in exile will be many months of travel and work in a place far from here. We will have time to love each other as we wish.”

“Yes. All too short a time, I fear. It will pass too soon and then you will return to the Manor while I pay my penance.”

“I will stay with you until you are sure of managing the lands and I will return to you as soon as may be. Mayhaps your mother will send me to collect you when it is time.”

“Mayhaps, yes.”

“Do not borrow worries. I will come for you.”

“I know you will.”

Their lips met in a kiss that ended all too soon. They knew they were at risk and were not so foolish as to press their luck. As soon as they were a respectable distance apart Lady Hopps made herself known.

“Judith! So, this is where you’ve gotten to. You are neglecting your guests.”

“The guests are here for me in name only, mother.” Judith chided gently. “The majority seem to be I attendance for my escort.”

“Yes, the Steward of the House has become quite the mammal of note, has he not?”

“The mammal of note is standing right here, ladies.”

“And so, you are. You should be elsewhere, attending to the guests’ needs.”

“I was attending to the guest of honor herself, madam.”

“And now, I want a word with her. Off you go!”

Nicolas bowed and made his way out of the corner. Bonnie watch the exasperation and longing dance across her daughter’s face. “Judith, do not look so distressed. One would think you’d had enough of his company for a time after your tour.”

“Any who think as such would be quite incorrect. I enjoy his company very much and value it greatly.”

“Yes. I think you have learned some of why I rely upon him so thoroughly.”

“I have. I regret I did not sooner.”

“I am proud of you, Judy.”

The does shared a small smile and commiseration, before Judith shook herself and asked, “What did you want to talk to me about, Mother?”

“First, I must tell you that your ship sails in a week.” Bonnie watched as excitement and apprehension flitted through her child’s visage, before her expression steeled and she nodded. Judith truly had come far. “Mister Wilde will escort you to your new home and stay with you for some months. He will see you settled and it will be good for the last of his recovery.”

“He has healed quite well to my eye.”

“And mine, but we both know that fox hides more than he shows. He needs rest and this trip will afford him some.”

Judith giggled lightly. “It will take an order from you to make him so do, I suspect. Please make certain to include that in writing for us when we depart.”

Bonnie smiled. “I shall. The second is something I wish to do as a gift for the poor foolish fox. I will require your assistance, Judith. I trust you have no objections?”

The chance to conspire with her mother was almost as much a thrill as her coming of age ceremony. She felt as though finally she had earned a place of respect and value. The chance to out-fox Nicolas for a change only made the feeling sweeter.

“None.”

Chapter Text

At the dock, a huge crowd of rabbits had convened. Traditionally, a journey such as this was no cause for celebration or large attendance at the outset. In this particular instance, tradition was discarded as the family seeing their daughter off to her exile was too large and loving to contain. Siblings, friends and well-wishers clogged the quay and a great portion of the wharf at large. It took some time for the Lady of the hour, her escort and her parents to make their way to the cutter moored and waiting to sail with the tide.

Scattered throughout the crowd were smatterings of foxes who wanted a word with Mister Wilde before his departure and several local notables had last minute business to address with the fox. It was clear to Judith that the vulpine gentleman would be missed during his absence. To her dissatisfaction, she noted the several vixens attempting to express their desire for his swift return. It was trifling, but still a nuisance. There was no doubt in her mind that the next many months would see her as the exclusive focus of his attentions, not that he had wavered in the meantime. His loyalty was unshaking, despite being fated to be short lived.

Judith was no fool. She knew that under the laws of the land, marriage between her and the fox she loved was impossible. Eventually, he would be corralled into a marriage by some female or other. She had come to terms with this fact and decided to simply wring the greatest amount of happiness from these months as she could. It would not be enough, but that was as far as she could bring herself to look.

At long last, Nicolas managed to extricate himself from his adoring hangers-on and join the Hopps’ at the gangplank. Under the Captain’s impatient eye they made their last farewells. The baggage and goods had been boarded and stowed already. The only thing left were the few personal touches. Packets of letters were handed over including a couple curiosities. One was a letter for the both of them, sealed with the Lordship’s seal and with strict instructions not to open them until they were at sea. As it was Lady Hopps herself who gave the instructions, neither of the travelers dared second guess. The second was a parcel and note from the Lord to Mister Wilde concerning a private matter. That garnered a raised eyebrow from not only Judith and Nicolas, but Lady Hopps as well.

Then, it was the bosun’s whistle prompting the hands to their places. Judith was helped aboard by her escort and he bore the letters, parcel and satchel case which carried many official documents they would both need for their journey and also establishing their identities. Letters of introduction, transfer of responsibilities and advice were manifold and packed tight in the oilcloth bag. They would be protected on their journey and serve the bearers well.

Nicolas accompanied Judith as they waved their last farewells from the taffrail, mindful of the parting words from Lady Hopps to care for each other on their journey, no matter how long it was. A curious turn of phrase, Nicolas thought. One he had not heard before despite his familiarity with the Lady. He would have suspected a trap were it not for the circumstances. As it was, he had very different concerns pressing on his mind.

He was placid to the sailors, but his companion could see and practically feel his desire to spirit her off to their state room and make up for their restraint of so many weeks. She could not help but want the same as he, but they had to play the proper roles, until they were out of sight. They could not simply sprint to their rooms and shed their garments as they ran. That would strain the acceptable level of excitement allowable for a young lady’s first journey abroad, even by a brothel’s standards.

The destination she was bound for was tantalizing, she had to admit. A life of her own, on her own terms. A rare thing for a lady in this age and she got the chance to at least begin her life with the male she loved. Perhaps she could convince him to vow his love and claim a place as his mistress in years to come. That was, blessedly, a concern for later.

After an appropriate interval Nicolas calmly suggested they make their way below, so as not to inconvenience the sailors unduly. Judith smiled. They felt the same eagerness, but for once she was the better informed. The secret she had been privy to at her mother’s discretion was about to come into play.

She preceded him into the state room and neatly stepped aside. It took him a moment, but when he saw the surprise it was clear. It was also not what she had expected. Looking at the sea chest waiting for him, he looked closer to tears than she had ever seen him.

“What is this?” he croaked.

“A gift from my mother. She makes traveling chests for all her children when they leave home as brides, or to venture out into the world. Mine is in the corner, there. She said yours had special significance, but refused to tell me more. She said it was your story to tell.”

Judith waited for an answer, but the silence stretched as did her beloved’s distress. She went to him and held him, confused and frightened. She had never seen her fox upset, yet now he looked as though he’d seen a ghost.

At length, and haltingly, he spoke, “That chest was my father’s.”

“Your father’s?”

“Yes, he…” Nicolas paused and gathered himself. “He was a carpenter, press-ganged into the navy when I was five and died at sea. The navy was good enough to return his sea chest, which he had carved on his own. That and the money he had saved fed me and my mother for a time. I had to leave it behind.”

“When?”

“When I left with Lady Hopps. I thought it was lost.”

“Mother said she had collected it and kept it safe.”

Nick chuckled weakly. “And nothing else, correct?”

Judy shook her head. “She told me nothing of how you met.”

“I can see you hope I will tell you.”

“Please?”

Nick walked to the chest and ran a paw over the worn and polished wood, carved in scenes of ships and monsters of the deep. “I was eleven when my mother died. The hovel we lived in wasn’t owned by anyone. It was just a place. I had to fend for myself, but I had a place to sleep. One day, I saw a noble Lady somehow lost on the streets. I had thought to lift her purse, but thought better of it. Stealing from a noble would have seen me join my mother in the pauper’s graveyard.”

“So, what did you do?”

“I walked up to her as close as I dared and offered to guide her. She was uncertain. I was dressed in rags and coughed at every pause. My mother’s illness was mine, as well. I knew I wouldn’t live long, but I was too stubborn to lie down and die. Between my coughing fits, I spoke well, as my mother had taught me. I offered guidance out of the alleys and help if she needed it. Which constables were less corrupt and the like. For some reason she asked to see my home and then guide her to her carriage. I understood neither order, but complied. Shortly thereafter, I found a bag of my possessions stuffed into my paws as I sat terrified in her carriage. I was certain I was going to my death. In a way, I was.”

“What do you mean?” Judith queried, mixed emotions colouring her voice though she daren’t interrupt him now that he was finally sharing his past with her.

“I mean, the old me died that day. I was taken to the Manor and at Lady Hopps’ order I was bathed, seen by a physician and fed hot food for the first time since I couldn’t remember when. The following days saw me fitted with new clothes, introduced to tutors and my training began. It took time, but I eventually understood. She had saved me. I had gained a patron and lost my old life. My father’s sea chest and my mother’s locket were both lost, I thought. But I would live. I devoted my life to her service for saving me. I learned to fight, speak, serve; anything I could to show my gratitude. And now this…”

“Open it.”

Shaking paws went through barely remembered motions, freeing clasps and loosening bindings. The wood was well oiled and cared for. The metal work was free of rust and glided smoothly as the lid raised. Even the lock on the front looked to have been maintained by a mammal that knew their craft.

However, all thought of the chest itself was blasted from his mind when he saw the contents. In the underside of the lid were secured three sets of his fangs and a small collection of his preferred armaments; all oiled and sharpened, awaiting use.

In the belly of the heavy wooden box the surprises continued. A book of poetry he had loved in his teens sat next to several small toys he thought lost to the mists of childhood. A book that appeared to be handmade lay by a wooden sword he remembered from his fencing maestro’s tutelage. Trinkets and oddments from his childhood and all his life sat haphazardly atop a bed of purses and bags he had no doubt were stuffed with coins.

He reached for a letter that sat in the center of the chest, baring Lady Hopps’ personal ink and seal. Its misshapen feel was explained as the seal broke and a small silver locket and chain slid into his paw. Judith watched as laughter forced its way through his building tears.

“Nick?”

“My mother’s locket.” With shaking paws, he opened the clasp.

Judith watched as the dam broke and her beloved wept openly. She held him as the tears flowed. They did not last long, but meant world for their passing. When Nicolas Wilde collected himself again and spoke, there was less darkness muting his spirit and joy flowed through him as though in place of his blood.

“My mother hid this in a seam of my jacket as a kit. I thought it lost after arriving at the manor. A child’s foolishness. She kept it safe for me all this time.” He held the open locket out to her and she took it in her little paws. On one side was a lock of fur colored to match the fox standing beside her. The other bore another lock but of a ruddier hue and coarser texture. “I have my mother’s fur and my father’s eyes, in case you were wondering.”

“My mother kept it for you?”

“Apparently, so. The last pieces of them I had thought lost.” Nicolas kissed the locket before loosening the clasp on the chain and securing it around his own neck and slipping it under his shirt.

“What is the rest of this?”

“Toys from when I was a kit. A book of poems and a memento from my training at arms. This book, however,” he said intrigued as he raised the unknown tome. “I do not know.”

Judy giggled. “That is a gift for you. She keeps all the flowers she gets from her kits and presses them into books along with cards and letters. I helped her assemble that for you.”

“The memories of a lifetime are in this box.”

“And a few things besides,” Judith commented eyeing the weapons.

“Indeed.”

“Nicolas, I must ask. Why all these purses?”

An emotion laden smirk curved the todd’s muzzle as he replied, “I have a sneaking suspicion, but I suspect the truth of it rests in this letter.”

They settled into the seat adjacent to the windows at the rear of the ship. Judith rested her back against his chest and they read together. The script was the sharp, clean hand of Lady Bonnie Hopps, herself.

Dearest Nicolas,

    If you are reading this, no doubt you have opened your chest and discovered some of the things I’ve kept for you. I have desired to return both your chest and locket for longer than I care to admit, but I feared it would harm you more than anything. I hope you bear me no ill will for my trepidation and delays. In this box are many things that Judith can explain. They are traditions of our family and you are a part of it. Learn well and remember.

The weapons are a gift. You may need them in the days to come, though I pray to all Gods that will not come to pass. The purses are also a gift. They are the sum total of all the purses and letters of credit you have so carefully slipped into my desk over these last twenty years. That includes the very first one. Your frugality and subtlety do you credit and now you reap the reward. You will need them, also, in the days to come. Invest in the land and mammals who love it. They will bear fruit.

    All else of explanations I leave to my daughter, who no doubt is reading with you. There is much more to say, but you have another letter to read and more to understand. That said, I bid you adieu, children. Rather, au revoir.

-B

Judith sat stunned for a moment, until she was unceremoniously lifted from her seat upon her fox’s lap and placed beside him. He popped out of his seat like a shot and addressed his new sea chest anew. She watched as he carefully, almost reverently, removed each item until he discovered the one he was after. A small purse, even to her, vanished into his waistcoat pocket under her gaze. He then set about returning every item removed to its place in the chest.

Standing, Nicolas recalled himself and chuckled nervously.

“What was that about, may I ask?”

“My apologies for the rough handling, Judith. I… Needed to confirm something.”

“What was in that purse?”

In response the fox removed the purse from his pocket and opened it into her waiting palm. A single silver coin half as broad as her paw slid out and plopped heavily into her grasp.

“It’s beautiful.”

“It’s a coin my father won aboard ship, before he died. It was the last one left of his legacy. My mother said it was good luck, so I kept it hidden and never traded or spent it. When I realized my luck in meeting Lady Hopps, I gave it to her as a gift. It seems she is returning it.”

“Does she know the meaning of it?”

“I would not be surprised if there is a letter in that tome you made for me having to do with it.”

“A task for later.” Judith stated as she returned the coin to its owner. “She has returned your luck to you. Let us not see it wasted.”

“I don’t need luck, m’lady,” Nicolas replied primly. Then he grinned. “But it is nice to have on one’s side.”

Judy couldn’t help but giggle. “Shall we move to the next letter from Mother?”

“I would say yes, but I must confess my curiosity piqued by the packet and letter from your Lord Father. I have a vague idea of what your mother is likely to say, but your father remains a mystery. His behavior towards me these last weeks has been a stark contrast to his previous character.”

“Indeed.” Judith mused. “Very well. Open his letter. We will save the mundane for last.”

“I doubt mundane in the least.”

“The details of our travel arrangements, the terms of my rustication and mammals we shall meet when we arrive, most likely. They can wait in the face of what my father desires to speak to you privately about.”

“Very well. As M’lady wishes.”

They resettled in their previous places, if more snugly, and Nicolas broke the seal on the letter addressed to him from the Lord. The thick, strong lines characterizing Stuart Hopps’ personal script.

Nicolas-

    I will not mince words. I have only moments to write much, so I will leave it to the essentials until I may speak with you more freely. You have done me great service. Time and again you rose to par and then exceed the expectations of your office. I was blind to your service owing to nothing more than my own fear. I was foolish. I hope to remedy that.

    As your Lord and Head of House, I am issuing you a single order. You will stay with Judith for the term of her rustication. When her due time is complete and she may return to our shores without consequence, you will escort her home. Then, we shall speak of the reward you are owed both for your service and sacrifice.

The only boon I may grant at present, I regret, is in the packet that accompanied this missive. Years past, rabbits were of heartier bearing. The rings enclosed no longer suit the dimensions of any kith or kin of our House, yet they are an heirloom of our House. They may yet suit a mammal of your stature and that of the lady you take to wife. When that day comes these tokens may stand you in good stead, as I will stand for you.

-Lord Stuart Hopps, Earl of Triburrows

Judith found her voice first. “Foolish?!”

“Your father gives me a family heirloom that must be generations old and that one word is what you find shocking?”

“It’s the first point to address!”

“I will leave the concern over your father’s peculiar turn of phrase to you, then, my dear. I will save my concern for what he will term my appropriate reward after such an effusive foundation. He had been generous as it is.”

“I can only think it will be to the better for you, Mister Wilde. Perhaps, it will be a Title!”

“Even with his excessive wealth and clout, the most he could accomplish is begging a knighthood for me from the Palace, or name me a squire. Neither holds much appeal to me.”

“You would not embrace such a turn of events?”

“I would not decline such an honor as such behavior would be rude. However, my ambitions do not include a title.”

“What are your ambitions, good sir?”

“Uncertain.”

“Oh?”

“I will wait to read our final letter before I assess my future. My only hope is that you remain in it.”

“You are sweet to say so, but what problems we may encounter in that pursuit are many.”

“A topic for another moment, I think. We will have much time to discuss things in the next year.”

A year was far longer than Judith had anticipated and she was glad of it. She would not be parted from him until she could return to the Manor. She now had longer to enjoy him and when returned home she could press her case to claim a place with him in some capacity. There was some flexibility to the law and while marriage was impossible, there were other ways.

“Shall we move on to the final document?”

“If we must.”

“Impatient rabbit.”

“It will be nothing of consequence, I assure you. There are better pursuits to occupy our attentions.”

“I don’t disagree, but the Lady was most insistent. If we don’t we may yet regret it.”

“I suppose so. Now you’ve said it, it is entirely possible she would know if we did not.”

“I learned years ago not to underestimate her.”

The fox gestured for her to sit, which she did, albeit with more use of her hips than was strictly necessary to take her seat. Through a supreme act of will, Nicolas managed to focus on breaking the seal on the final letter. They read it several times before they could set it aside.

My Dear Children,

    In the satchel you carried aboard you will find all the letters and documents you will need to make the necessary introductions and assume control of the estates. The lands are old and well cared for, but will need your touch to thrive. Your travel has been seen to and that also is addressed elsewhere. I mention both merely to assuage your fears, Judith. There will be no such mundane topics in this missive.

Nicolas, I am aware of the gift my husband has made to you. I know you will use those rings well. They will fit if you wear them on your thumbs in the old style.  The lady you are so in love with is not beyond your reach, but the explanations must wait for a moment. You have grown into a fine male and at last have results befitting the service you have rendered this House. I speak not as an employer, but as a mother when I say you have become everything I could have hoped for. I am proud of you. Your parents would be proud as well. You have a great task ahead of you and I would wish you luck, but the outcome is known to me. Now, I beg your patience.

    Judith, I am sending you to my family’s Chateau not to manage the estate, but to claim them. The females of our line held the title of Countess. Namely, of the Saint Lapin region. Within the documents you bear is the final declaration which will see you assume the role and title. You are now the Comtesse de Saint Lapin. The region has good soil and is excellent for the growing of grapes and flowers. The perfumers and vintners are among the best on the continent. When you arrive at the Chateau, Maurice will meet you. He will aid you in settling in.

When I told you of my family I told the truth. The bucks of my clan were dreamers and poets, while does of my clan were wild and strong of will, but when I said they loved predators, I both lied and spoke truth. They did love predators, but more than in bearing them welcome. My grandmother had a lover very similar to your beloved Mister Wilde when I left the Chateau. As such, it should not be a surprise to you that my family’s rule of those lands led to laws that were uncommon and remain as such.

My grandmother married her lover in her fifty third year, fangs, claws, coarse fur and all. The laws have not changed. I’ve seen to that. Therefore, when the good fox who is no doubt close at hand asks, I suggest you say yes. Though, I doubt you require encouragement. I plan to attend a spring wedding.

    Good travels, children. Keep each other safe.

-Bonnie

1. I will be sending some of the kits your way, from time to time. The Saint Lapin blood runs strong in some of your siblings. They will need a place they can dream and pursue their dreams. Make them welcome.

At length, Nicolas muttered, “That crafty old…”

“Have a care, Mister Wilde. That is my mother you speak of.”

“Our mother.”

Before Judith could manufacture a retort, Nicolas slipped a paw under her chin and tilted her face up to his. The world stopped for her. Staring into his eyes, all she could do was remember to breathe. The next words reshaped her reality.

“Judith Laverne Hopps, Comtesses de Saint Lapin, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Her breathless and joyful reply came fast on the heels of his last words. “Yes.”

For all things change, some remain unchanging. Honor, dedication and love. A new land and a new life with horizons ever greater spread before them, yet so little differed. One word, only.

I serve the House of Hopps. None shall harm my family.