Visit the kennels

'There's one thing that always makes you happy on days like this. Dogs are so loyal and friendly.'

The conniving seduction dripping off those words surprises you. You can't be that excited. Just this morning... {if game:FrederikDreams > 0}Oh, good grief, you really shouldn't. Not after thinking about him this morning.{else}you, ahem, took care of yourself. You really must stop thinking like this.{endif} But it is true that the dogs are a joy to play with. They aren't thinking of anything else. The ones that are friendly just want to come over and greet you.

'He's a commoner,' you think to yourself as you head for the kennels. 'So there's no way that we could ever... well, we could, physically that is. But my mother wouldn't allow it.'

'Yeah, keep telling yourself that. And whatever you do, don't sneak a look at his manly body and his manly loins.'

That's almost enough to get you to turn back, but then you hear the playful barking and a few growls from up ahead. One of the boys who acts as an assistant to the huntmaster practically brains himself on a post when he tries to bow. He won't make eye contact and quickly runs inside, promising to get master Frederik for you.

Frederik comes out quickly, grinning and welcoming you. He's not more than an inch taller than you - your family on both sides are all rather tall, so you've always tended to be one of the tallest in any room. But Frederik is also broad, and not the broadness of fat. He gives you a bow, but then surprises you by asking, "Have you come to see the puppies?"

"Puppies?" You hadn't heard a thing about new puppies.

"Yes, just two days ago." He motions for you to follow and you can't resist. Sure, you've seen puppies before, but they're always so cute!

In the back he leads you to a wooden pen. The mother looks quite tired, but since Frederik is there and he's making nice, friendly noises she lets you come close. She has six little fuzzy bundles feeding from her nipples. Rather than messing with the pups you let her sniff your hand as you've been shown and then gently rub her head and then scratch behind her ears. She decides that's acceptable and lies back down, giving you a half-hearted wag of her tail in thanks.

"She's always been a quiet one," says Frederik. "Very good mother. This is her third time, so she knows what to expect now."

"Wow, three times. With litters as well."

"Yeah, but they're built for it. Heh, look over there," he gestures toward the door. "That's the father. Young-un managed to pop the door open and got to 'er when she was in heat."

In the doorway is a dog who looks like he's just finished growing to adulthood. When he tries edging forward toward mother and puppies she just lets out a deep, low growl and he back his way out of the room.

"Yeah, she knows it's him," Frederik laughs. "Ol' Morinda knows it was he, an' that these are his. She's given him what for ever since she started labor."

"I guess some things are the same for dogs, cats, horses, people."

"I bet," he says. "Just like with Sarah, the butcher's daughter in town, Morinda here knows how much fun she had but she's not gonna admit it."

He sees your shocked expression and quickly says, "Oh, not me! No, I just have to go there a lot to get scraps and such. So I seen Sarah fatten up all through winter. Wouldn't say a word of the father, at first. But when the babe was late a few weeks everyone found out 'twas the whitesmith's son, cause she couldn't stop cursing his name."

You have to laugh, and he laughs too. "Are they getting married?"

"Well, we'll see. Probably, in the long run. But first he's got to make it up to her and figure out how to talk to her dad 'bout it in a butcher's shop full of very sharp knives an' cleavers. Course, he doesn't want to knock off the one man who's most like to care for her."

Oh yes, you can imagine what that would be like.

'That would work for you just as well. Mother dearest wouldn't want to knock off Frederik if he managed to knock you u...'

With effort you **** the picture of yourself and Frederik standing in the main hall, him looking apologetic and you trying to look innocent in a flowing and particularly concealing gown.

In the mean time Frederik has fetched one of the younger dogs. His tails way madly as Frederik puts him down at your side and tells him to stay. Soon the young dog is rolled part way on his back and his mouth is hanging open as you scratch his belly. Not all the dogs are this well behaved, but some will do almost anything Frederik tells them to.

'He'd be so good at raising children.'

You try not to think about that too much, but some daydreams of Frederik with a baby cradled in the crook of his elbow come to mind. He looks so happy.