Our kingdom - Sonourge 4

A few select words could describe Scourge's mood, and they were that "he was pissed." The whole incident with Sally had left him mad, but what made him furious was that Old Max had blamed him and demanding a ridiculous apology for something he didn't do! He stormed throughout his castle, various servants and slaves just barely dodging their master.

"Master?" Sonic said, hesitantly following after the king.

"What!?" Scourge snapped, making Sonic flinch.

"Are...are you mad because of me?" the blue male asked. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, but that she devil did." He continued his rage filled walk to the back garden of the castle.

"Is...there anything that I can do to help?" the cobalt slave asked as he rested on his knees beside his king as Scourge sat on one of the garden benches. The blue male placed a gentle hand on Scourge's knee, his face showing his concern and worry. Scourge looked at the slave before him calmly stroking the royal blue quills. He calmed down with Sonic's presence.Sonic smiled at the caress and purred softly, leaning in as Scourge gently began to scratch him behind the ears. His tail even wagged a little.As this continued, an idea came to the king.

"Hey." Sonic looked up to him with a smile.

"Can you do something for me?" Sonic nodded. "There's a clearing surrounded by tall hedges at the center of the garden. There are a couple nymphs who can play and sing. Can you fetch them and bring them here?"

"Of course Master." and Sonic gladly took off to please his master. He ran in the direction Scourge had described, and found the center enclosed with tall hedges covered in different colored roses. Sonic found the entrance and there inside stood two figures dressed in silk purple robes. The first nymph is a female fennec fox with long dirty blonde hair in a braid. Her eyes were a deep green, like a forest, and in her hands was a beautifully carved violin.The next was a tall female brown hedgehog with black streaks and chocolate brown eyes. In her hand was a silver flute.

"Welcome young one. How may be of service?" both nymphs asked in unison.

"My Lord asks for your entertainment." The nymphs gave warm smiles and followed Sonic out of the clearing.Scourge smiled once his slave returned and motioned for Sonic to sit beside him this time instead of on the ground. Sonic blinked in confusion before doing what his king said. Scourge simply wrapped an arm around Sonic's waist, pulling the blue male closer, which made Sonic blush like mad.

"You may play when ready," the king said, nodding to the nymphs.The blonde nymph readied her violin, brought her bow down gently, and started playing quietly on high. The black streaked hedgehog brought her flute to her lips and played with her friend. The music grew a bit louder as they played, trading the melody and accomptimint with each other. Scourge brought Sonic in closer as the gleeful song continued. Sonic sighed happily as he snuggled closer to his master and king. This was absolutely wonderful. He guessed this was his reward for being obedient like the king had wanted.Scourge smiled as his precious Sonic. Wait, did he call him Sonic? But that thought disappear as the moment continued and the nymph's song went up another notch for it's finale.

"Sire?" asked the black streaked nymph. Scourge looked up at the tall nymph. "Would you like another song?"

"Of course," Scourge suggested. The longer he could stay out here with Sonic without being disturbed, the better.

"Um...master?" Sonic then asked.

"Hm?" Scourge raised a brow.

"Can...can I play a song for you?"

"We don't object sire." the blonde nymph said. The two stepped aside as Sonic joined them.

"Would you like an instrument?" asked the blonde nymph. Sonic smiled, "Can I have a flute, please?"

"What's the name of the song, Sonic?" Scourge asked as he relaxed on the garden bench.

"It's called Ailein Duinn. It...it means 'Brown-haired Ailein' in the language of the Merhogs," Sonic said hesitantly. Scourge nodded in understanding.

"You may play when ready."

So, the blue male sighed, placed the flute to his lips and blew out the first few notes...

Gura mise tha fo éislean (How sorrowful I am) Moch sa mhaduinn is mi g'éirigh (Early in the morning rising)

Chorus (after each verse): Ò hì shiùbhlainn leat (Ò hì, I would go with you) Hì ri bhò hò ru bhì Hì ri bhò hò rinn o ho Ailein Duinn, ò hì shiùbhlainn leat (Brown-haired Alan, ò hì, I would go with you)

Ma 's'en cluasag dhuit a ghaineamh (If your pillow is the sand) Ma 'se leabaidh dhut an gheamainn (If your bed is the seaweed) Hì ri bhò hò ru bhì Hì ri bhò hò rinn o ho Ailein Duinn, ò hì shiùbhlainn leat (Brown-haired Alan, ò hì, I would go with you)

Ma 's en t-iasg do choinlean geala (If the fish are your bright candles) Ma 's e na ròin do luchd-faire (If the seals are your watchmen) Hì ri bhò hò ru bhì Hì ri bhò hò rinn o ho Ailein Duinn, ò hì shiùbhlainn leat (Brown-haired Alan, ò hì, I would go with you)

Once Sonic finished, he smiled shyly as his king sat there in shock.Both nymphs stared in amazement as well, in fact the fox forgot to join in the song.

"Sire?" both nymphs asked. "May he come visit us in the garden? We can teach him and it will give the pleasure of company."Scourge finally snapped out of it at the nymph's voice.

"Of course he can," Scourge said, smiling at his slave once Sonic came back to sit beside him once more.

"Thank Your Highness!" squealed the fennec. "Will that be all Sire?"

"Yes ladies, you may return to your clearing." Lunch came out the pair left.Sonic was, as the law dictated, kneeling beside the king on the cool ground while Scourge sat on the bench. The slave was hungry, there was no doubt about that, but he still had to wait until the king finished his meal before he could eat. If his master wanted him to eat at all, that is. But, what startled the blue male was when Scourge offered the first bite of their lunch to him.

"Here," Scourge said with a smile.

"Thank you Sire!" and he happily took the bite. Scourge motioned the cobalt male to sit by his side. It confused Sonic even further, but didn't dare disobey his master.Scourge mentally smirked as he watched his beautiful blue slave enjoy his meal. He just loved the way his emerald eyes seemed aglow with so much life n enjoyment as he took in the sights of everything around him. The king, now that he thought about it, began to hate himself for all the pain and suffering that he'd put his beloved slave into so many times before. Sonic could've been broken using simpler tactics, but he'd decided to just be the bastard that he was n nearly kill Sonic!! His ears drooped slightly with regret as he reached out and ran his hand ever so slightly over the brand mark on Sonic's hip, the he'd given him himself.Sonic looked curiously at his king as he traced over his brand mark.

"Is something wrong Master?"

"Nothing." and Scourge pulled him closer. "Nothing at all."Sonic blinked with surprise when he was pulled closer and smiled slightly when he received a kiss to the forehead as Scourge's arms wrapped around his waist. The blue male snuggled closer into his king's embrace and closed his eyes contently.The King and his slave spent the rest of their day in the garden. With the King watching the cobalt male chase the butterflies, and the slave snuggling with his master. The nymphs came back and played with their new friend, teaching him new music and instruments. While they enjoyed the day, a pair of hateful eyes watched them, planning.The sun was starting to set on the emerald male's kingdom, the last rays of sunlight catching the blue n green couple making their way back inside their palace home.

"Your Majesty." The smooth baritone voice Scourge recognized in a heartbeat.There standing near the doorway was another hedgehog, black as the night with ghostly blue streaks on upturned quills.

"I'd hate to spoil your fun Sire, but there is work to be done." Scourge groaned, his perfect day over.

"Thank you Mephiles." he turned to Sonic. "Go to my study. I will be with you later."

"Yes, Master," Sonic smiled and did as he was told, not aware that his owner couldn't keep his eyes off his backside.

"I have set all your work in the dining hall." The robed advisor walked with the king, handing scrolls of the taxes collected that day.

"Thank you again Mephiles. You are dismissed." The dark hedgehog bowed and left Scourge to his duties, but the one thing kept nagging him. His feet carried him to the king's study and found the blue slave obediently sitting on the floor. Sonic looked up and met the eerie green eyes of the advisor. And as law dictated, Sonic immediately folded his ears in submission n glued his eyes to the floor, only to look up if Mephiles told him to do so.The advisory glared down at this 'perfect slave'. His only thoughts were, why? Why this blue slave, and not him?Sonic was glad that he was supposed to not look at the dark male. Just the advisor's aura alone was of evil, jealousy, and hatred. The blue slave's heart pounded in his ears that he was so scared. He clenched his sweaty hands into fists as they rested on his knees, hoping that his master would come soon.A loathing growl came from Mephiles, raised his jewel decorated hand, and brought it down hard. Sonic fell to the ground, pretty sure that slap would make his great grandchildren ask "what is that noise". But it didn't stop there. The hateful hedgehog grabbed him by the collar of the rags he calls clothes.

"Listen, and listen good slave. You are nothing, and will always be. Just because you get on the King's good doesn't mean anything. You will never have a life of you own." With that Mephiles threw Sonic back on the ground with a furious passion and stormed out of the study.The poor slave was shaken up from the sudden attack, having had his breath knocked out of him. Once Mephiles was gone, he weakly knelt back beside his master's chair, and raised a shaky hand to his now heavily bruised and tear-streaked cheek. Blood even decorated his 'clothes' and the crimson liquid slid from his busted lip. Those bruises would definitely be around for a few days. The advisor's words ran deep into Sonic's mind and heart. What had turned out to be a perfect day had just turned into the complete opposite.Sonic sat in the same position for a few hours, thinking about what the advisor had said to him. When Scourge came in, he shied away in hopes of hiding the purple bruise. No such luck.

"What happened?" Sonic flinched when Scourge's gloved hand examined the bruise. Even though his face throbbed a bit, the places where his master's hand touched felt like electricity.

"Nothing master, I merely tripped and hit your desk." The lie was a hurtful one, but he rather lie than be punished for talking bad about an official of the court.Scourge frowned slightly. Sonic was lying, he knew it. But what could have happened for him to be so apprehensive about telling him the truth? 'Maybe he'll tell me eventually,' he sighed mentally because he wasn't going to force it out of him.

"Come on," the king said kindly, gently picking up his wounded prize bridal style. He rested Sonic's head, the side that didn't have the bruise, on his chest. He kissed the blue male on the forehead and wiped away a stray tear that had managed to fall from closed, saddened eyes.

"Let's go see if we can get your wounds looked at," he sighed as he left the room, holding his slave closer so as to give him comfort from whatever it was that had truly happened.