By the time I was finished washing my body then washing and conditioning my hair, the doors had opened once again – more like slammed open – by a very confidant looking Jalain with a sleek black coat and pure white fur highlighting their chest and exposed belly, Their small chest was wrapped in a dark blue lacy band and their long sleek tail poked out from the back of their midthigh-length dark blue flowy skirt that was speckled with small gems glinting in the light like stars. Their tail was flicking back and forth in what I assumed was annoyance. Mayvax and a different guard following right behind them must have been the cause of their assumed annoyance. “You can leave me now, Prince Faelix said that you are not to assist me.” They huffed in a very regal and elegant sounding voice that somehow stayed that way even with all the attitude in their tone.

“I still need to show you where their wardrobe room is. So that you may dress him according to the prince’s tastes. I can’t imagine you have any of the necessary clothing or accessories that are needed to dress him.” Mayvax argued, far too obvious in his displeasure towards the Jalain, who groaned and rolled their eyes indignantly at the handler.

“The guard can show us to that room, now leave or I will have the prince come back here and make you leave.” The Jalain’s threat seems to have worked, though earned them a sharp glare that they easily returned with a low growl – something I was unaware that the Jalain could do. Once Mayvax had angrily stalked off down the hall like a tantruming toddler, the Jalain seemed satisfied and shut the doors, turning to search the room with one hand on their hip and the other holding a bundle of cloth, spotting me still in the warm pool. “Are you not done yet? I’m sorry, love. I thought we gave you plenty of time wash up.” Their sudden change to a more casual and gentle tone both was and wasn’t a bit of a surprise. It made sense they would be kinder to me; I wasn’t being an annoyance to them.

“I just finished washing up, I was about to step out when you had arrived.” I make my way out of the pool as I speak and take the warm fluffy towel they offer me. “May I ask why the prince did not come with you to dress me?” I decided to voice my question, hoping that if I had done something wrong, the Jalain would be able to tell me so that I may fix my behavior.

They watch me with their large hazel eyes, humming softly before softening their expression and answering my question. “Faelix felt it was best to ease you into the life of being his pet. Since that foolish handler of yours seems to have led you down the wrong mindset when it comes to being a pet to royalty. We’ll meet with him again in a bit though.” Their explanation felt like it barely answered my question at all, but I wasn’t sure asking more questions would get me to the answers I was looking for. “Let’s get you dried up and off to that dressing room that fool was talking about, or else he may try smacking me around too.” They huff again with an ear flicking in irritation as they turn their head to glare at the door over their shoulder, then returning their attention back to me and grabbing another nearby towel to start gently rubbing and patting down my hair.

We stayed silent as they dried my hair and paused to let me dry off the rest of my body, then going on to start inspecting me curiously. Their soft paw-pad like fingertips and palms pressing into my skin as they turn me this way and that, seeming like they were just wanting a good look at me before bringing me back to their master.

“Has he hit you before, love? Or even touched you in a violent manner? I see no bruises other than the one forming on your cheek, though I figure that he’d be smart enough to not leave a mark if he has hurt you before.” They questioned, meeting my eyes with a very serious glint in their eyes that told me I needed to tell the truth, though I wasn’t sure what would happen if I were to lie. Not that I have any reason to.

“No, he’s never hit me before. Today was the first time he’s ever hit me like that.” I mutter a little, looking down and away from the Jalain, tentatively reaching up and touching my still throbbing cheek. “He’s grabbed me harder than necessary before, but usually only when he’s already irritated.” I shrug, letting my hand drop but keeping my gaze downcast. “I always made sure to behave properly.”

“You poor thing… You should have been given more freedoms than that.” They give a sad sigh as they gently pet my hair, “But I suppose the way they treat you lot is due to the violent nature some of the older generation of human pets had.” They were likely right about that, many of the older generation that were captured and enslaved have long since been killed for causing problems for their masters, even some of my own generation who cause problems for their masters and handlers get punished accordingly, Janik being the biggest offender in my group’s case. I already know she’ll likely get a harsh beating if Mayvax is able to get away with it once he finds her, if he hasn’t already. “Your generation of humans I’ve heard is a weird mix of docile and rebellious, but that doesn’t give him the right to hit you. A simple scolding, sure, but smacking you for not bowing immediately is just uncalled for.” I agreed with a small, silent nod, not wanting to verbally agree and possibly get overheard by the guard outside. Though the guards clearly respect the prince far more than they would ever respect Mayvax and would likely not say anything after how the prince has reacted to Mayvax thus far.

Once I was fully dried, or at least dried enough to get dressed, the Jalain wrapped me in a new robe made of a very shiny and silky dark blue fabric that was cool to the touch. Then we were leaving the room and being escorted by the guard through the halls to the dressing room where the voice of the prince was sounding through the plain blue doors. He didn’t sound happy in the slightest, but I couldn't be sure what exactly he was saying until the doors were opened, and I saw a smaller male Varyxan, smaller than the prince, but still over seven feet tall, holding what I can only assume was the outfit I was meant to wear for my presentation to the prince. The outfit looked to be nothing more than several thin golden chains linked together and decorated with blue and black gems that would barely cover up anything on my body and gold circlet with a body-length shear vail that would leave absolutely nothing to the imagination. With the way it looked off my body combined with the mental image everyone must have and the expression of what I assumed to be disgust on all present, that wasn’t something the prince appreciated in the slightest.

“Oh gods, is that what they wanted him to wear for you? He’d have been completely naked! Were they expecting you to just fuck him right then and there? In front of everyone present?” I felt that the Jalain’s appalled outburst was a bit dramatic though conveying perfectly how I felt looking at the outfit. Though compared to what we normally wear, the outfit in question – or really lack thereof – was likely meant to make access much easier in case the prince did want to test me out then and there. At least, that’s what we were warned of, that our presentation outfits would be meant for our new master’s viewing pleasure and possible easy access. Something I’m sure would have made the Jalain become even more appalled to learn about, based off their current reaction.

The smaller male Varyxan sighed heavily and turned to meet their large hazel eyes with an exhausted expression, then observe me next to them for a short moment before looking back at the Jalain. “Humans aren’t treated the same as the other potential pets, Syrion. Though this,” He says while holding the offending piece of chains and gems at arm’s length with disdain lacing his words, “does seem to be a tad bit excessive. This would, as you said, hardly cover anything at all and would certainly not be comfortable to wear in the slightest. It was lucky we decided to come much earlier than anticipated, his highness would have been quite furious to see such a display of nudity.” He sighs again and turns away from us to toss the mess of gold chains and gems onto a table with a gentle jingling of the chains and loud clacking gems hitting the table, then gestures for us to come closer. The Jalain, Syrion, gently pushes me towards the smaller male Varyxan, who still towered over me like an adult towering over a child. “There isn’t many options that would cover him up the same way Syrion is.” He says more to Prince Faelix than to us, glancing over at him to listen to his response.

“Please just make sure he isn’t going to be completely naked on the way back to the palace, Ryliar, we can dress him more properly there.” Prince Faelix said, his voice sounding strained, as if he were holding back the venomous anger I could see in his eyes as he watched us from a short distance.

With those orders, the shorter male Varyxan, Ryliar, had gone straight to work in finding a new outfit for me, eventually finding a lacy black bralette that was usually reserved for the women and a long black loin cloth styled skirt that I didn’t realize was even part of our wardrobe. I was gently handled while being dressed by Ryliar and Syrion, Syrion being the one to help ensure my lower bits were properly covered.

After they were done dressing me, they lead me through halls and corridors of the palace of human potential pets and slaves. It had been years since I had seen the parts that weren’t reserved for my group of potential pets. It was strange seeing them again now, even stranger to see the areas I’d never seen before at all, and even more strange when I was brought outside of the palace. Looking up at the pale purple-hued blue sky dusted with barely there clouds that cast gentle shadows over us as they passed under the sun’s light to shield us from her harsh rays every few moments.

As we made our way to a strange and rather scary looking rectangular vehicle hovering silently over the gravel, I found it surprisingly relaxing to feel the sun’s rays and clouds’ shadows on my skin outside of the palace. It was unlike any sensation I had ever felt before. Of course, it wasn’t as if I had never seen the outside world or felt the sun on my skin before, but it was different to experience the outside world from a window or balcony. This felt more freeing. Like I was being saved and possibly getting to be someone other than who I was raised to be.

I barely listened to Syrion when they started talking about how the vehicle we climbed into to sit facing each other in was loosely based off a vehicle that was driven by humans on Earth before the Varyxan conquered it. I think they said it was something called a “dodge demon” or a possibly “hellcat,” I didn’t have enough interest to listen and pay attention to which one of those odd names it was since both were mentioned. I just wanted to watch as the palace of human pets and slaves became smaller and smaller behind us as we were driven through the sparse, dark blue-ish green cone shaped trees and other foliage that grew denser the farther away we got. Then I went on to just watch as the cone shaped trees passed by the window when the palace was too far for me to see past the foliage. I wasn’t too sure how long I had been staring out the window, but it had apparently been long enough that Syrion went silent and moved their face to be next to mine to look through the window with me with what seemed to be confusion on their face when I glanced at them.

“What are you looking at? Is there an animal chasing us or something?” They asked after a few moments of searching the passing tree line for whatever they thought I was looking at.

“Oh… No… There is no animal. I had just never seen trees up close like this before.” I mumble a little under my breath, now feeling a bit embarrassed by my fascination with the large, towering plants I only ever got to look at from afar. Sitting back in my seat with my arms crossed over my stomach and staring down at my feet as shame warmed my cheeks.

The instant regret they must have felt rang in their voice quite clearly when they spoke up again after hearing that new bit of information about me. “Oh goodness, I’m sorry, love. You can keep looking out the window, I didn’t mean to make you feel upset or anything.”

“Syrion, leave him be.” Ryliar reprimanded them in a gentle tone from a seat away next to me, then turning his attention towards me and speaking somehow even gentler. “It’s okay, Ivorix, you can keep looking out the window if you’d like. You’ll also have full access to a garden that we can give you a tour of after you get settled in at the palace.” He offered, seeming hopeful of earning a more enthusiastic response than the shy nod that I had given him. Though he showed no disappointment at the lack of enthusiasm.

I noticed the prince staring out his own window when I glanced up at them. It made me wonder if he was fascinated by the passing trees too.

The rest of the rest of the ride was silent, taking well over an hour that eventually had me staring out the window again to see as red-ish, pink-ish puffy, blob-shaped trees started to make appearances. Watching as the tree line seemed to stay relatively the same before suddenly dropping off upon arrival at the enormous black brick walls that entrapped the palace grounds. Arriving at the gated entrance that prevented unauthorized entry, said gated entrance was made up of beautifully curved and twirled black metal rods that towered over us mere mortals like they were the gates to the underworld. And entering the garden behind felt like we were entering another world. Seeing all the differently colored leaves and petals and barks on the trees and bushes and flowers that I had never seen before was mesmerizing. I couldn’t wait to explore the lustrous garden that was before us as we made our way to the palace itself. But it was something that had to wait for later. Now I was at the royal palace and needed to ready myself to learn exactly what the prince wanted me for. The anticipation made the knot of fear and anxiety in my belly return as I was helped out of the vehicle and looked up at the prince.